Method and apparatus for preparing a definition to control automated data processing

ABSTRACT

A number of items of data from a data source ( 12 ) are to be processed, and then supplied to a data destination ( 16–17 ). Each item of data may be image data, text data, numeric data or some other type of data, or a combination of these types of data. The processing of each data item is controlled by a project definition ( 14, 71, 101 ), which includes a plurality of modules selected from a variety of available modules (Tables 1–4). The modules have input and output ports which are interrelated by binding information. Each project definition can be developed on one machine ( 211, 226 ), and then transmitted through a network ( 208, 206 ) to a different location on the network, where the project definition will be stored and/or executed by at least one different machine ( 212, 221–223 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to automated processing of multipleitems of data and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus forpreparing a definition to control such automated data processing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a variety of situations in which automated processing of anumber of data items is desirable. One specific example of such anapplication is product catalogs. Product catalogs, whether in the formof a paper catalog or an Internet “Web” site, frequently have numerouspictures which each depict a respective one of the various items thatare available for sale. Many years ago, these pictures were preparedusing optical negatives and photographs. Currently, however, the trendis to maintain and process these pictures in the form of computer filescontaining digital images.

A given paper or on-line catalog will usually include products from avariety of different manufacturers, and it is common for eachmanufacturer to provide its own digital images. There will typically bevariation between the form of images provided by differentmanufacturers, for example in terms of characteristics such as the size,shape, resolution, tint, and so forth. It is even possible that theimages from a single given manufacturer may have different forms.Accordingly, in order for the images throughout a catalog to have agenerally similar appearance, the various images from various sourcesneed to be processed to adjust characteristics such as size, shape,resolution, and/or tint, so as to bring them into general conformitywith each other.

A further consideration is that a manufacturer's images do not representa static situation, because manufacturers are constantly adding newproducts with new images, discontinuing existing products and associatedimages, and providing updated images for existing products. Moreover,there may be other reasons for adjusting images. For example, withrespect to a paper or on-line catalog intended for use during theChristmas season, there may be a desire to put a festive frame aroundeach image, such as a frame of holly leaves and berries. Moreover,stylistic changes in the images are often desirable.

The traditional approach for carrying out these various types of imageprocessing tasks has involved manual adjustments effected on animage-by-image basis, through use of image processing software requiringextensive operator interaction. However, this is extremely timeconsuming and expensive. Many organizations currently employ a number ofgraphic artists to do this work, at great expense.

A less common approach has been the preparation of a hard-coded softwareroutine to process images, written in line-by-line source code. However,these routines are time-consuming and expensive to generate, are likelyto include errors or “bugs”, and have little flexibility because theycannot be modified quickly and cheaply. Moreover, they can only beprepared and executed by a skilled programmer, rather than by a graphicartist who is skilled in image processing but has limited computerskills. It is difficult to find persons who have both artistic andcomputer skills, and they command large salaries.

Thus, while these traditional approaches have been generally adequatefor their intended purposes, they have not been satisfactory in allrespects. As one aspect of this, and to the extent that thesetraditional approaches have involved hard-coded source code, thedevelopment and execution of the source code has typically been anentirely a local process on a particular machine. However, especiallygiven the increasing popularity of computer networks, includingintranets and the Internet, preparation and execution of thesedefinitions on a purely local basis is no longer entirely satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

From the foregoing, it may be appreciated that a need has arisen for amethod and apparatus for facilitating preparation of a definition thatwill control the automated processing of multiple items of data, wherethe preparation and execution of the definition are not restricted to asingle local facility or machine. According to the present invention, amethod and apparatus are provided to address this need.

More specifically, one form of the present invention involves providinga set of predetermined function definitions which are different,preparing a project definition, and transmitting through acommunications link from a first end thereof to a second end thereof acommunication from a user which causes one of storing and execution ofthe project definition at the second end of the communications link. Theproject definition includes: a plurality of function portions which eachcorrespond to one of the function definitions in the set, and which eachdefine at least one input port and at least one output port that arefunctionally related according to the corresponding function definition;a further portion which includes a source portion identifying a datasource and defining an output port through which data from the datasource can be produced, and which includes a destination portionidentifying a data destination and defining an input port through whichdata can be supplied to the data destination; and binding informationwhich includes binding portions that each associate a respective inputport with one of the output ports.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention will be realized fromthe detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a configuration which embodies thepresent invention, and which includes a data source, two datadestinations, and a project definition;

FIGS. 2–5 are each a diagrammatic view of a respective different iconwhich can be used to diagrammatically represent a portion of a projectdefinition of the type shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 1 of a different projectdefinition according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of a different way of visuallyrepresenting the project definition of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 1 of yet another projectdefinition according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a system which embodies the presentinvention, including the capability to create and execute projectdefinitions of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 6–8;

FIGS. 10–12 are each a flowchart showing a respective sequence ofoperations carried out by respective portions of the software within thesystem of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a dialog box which can be displayed bythe system of FIG. 9 during execution of a project definition;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic view of a screen which can be displayed by thesystem of FIG. 9 to permit a user to carry out functions such ascreation, modification and execution of a project definition;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic view of a different way in which the projectdefinition of FIG. 8 can be visually represented;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of two modules of a project definition,in conjunction with binding menus that are used to define a relationshipbetween the depicted modules;

FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic view of a further dialog box, which can bedisplayed by the system of FIG. 9 during creation of a projectdefinition; and

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic view of yet another dialog box, which can bedisplayed by the system of FIG. 9 during creation of a projectdefinition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a configuration 10 which embodies featuresof the present invention, and which includes a computer subdirectory 12that serves as a data source and contains a plurality of files withimages therein, a project definition 14 that defines how data from thefiles in the subdirectory 12 should be processed, and two computersubdirectories 16 and 17 that serve as data destinations into whichfiles containing the processed data will be stored. The projectdefinition 14 is executed by a computer, in a manner described in moredetail later, and successively obtains the files from the subdirectory12, processes each file 12 in a manner described below, and thendeposits the processed file in either the subdirectory 16 or thesubdirectory 17. For purposes of the present discussion, it is assumedthat the files in the subdirectory 12 contain image data, but they couldalternatively contain some other type of data. Also, the termsdirectory, subdirectory, folder and subfolder are all used here to referto directories.

The specific project definition 14 shown in FIG. 1 has been designed tobe relatively simple for purposes of illustrating some basic concepts ofthe present invention, and basically will do two things. First, it willtake each file obtained from the subdirectory 12, and evaluate the sizeof the file. With respect to size, it is important to remember thedistinction between the size of an image, which is measured in pixels ineach of the height and width directions, and the size of the filecontaining the image, which is typically measured in kilobytes (KB). InFIG. 1, files above a certain size are to be placed in the subdirectory16 after processing, whereas all other files are to be placed in thesubdirectory 17 after processing. Second, the project definition 14 willtake the name of each file, and superimpose this name on top of theimage in the file. For example, if a given file is named “elephant” andcontains an image of an elephant, the word “elephant” will besuperimposed on top of the image of the elephant.

The subdirectory 12 is not itself a part of the project definition 14.Subdirectory 12 may be local to the computer executing the projectdefinition 14, may be disposed in another nearby computer accessiblethrough a local area network (LAN), may be disposed in a remote computermany miles away which must be accessed through the Internet, or may beaccessed in some other manner. The project definition 14 thus needs toknow where to find the subdirectory 12 and the data therein.Accordingly, the project definition 14 includes a source module 21,which includes a definition of where to locate the subdirectory 12, andhow to access it. The source module 21 successively obtains the filesfrom the subdirectory 12. Each time the source module 21 receives a filefrom the subdirectory 12, it outputs the image data from the filethrough a first output port, as indicated diagrammatically at 22, andoutputs a text string representing the file name through a second outputport, as indicated diagrammatically at 23.

Lines of the type shown at 22 and 23 are referred to herein as bindinglines. For convenience, image data is indicated by a wide double-linebinding line, as shown in 22, whereas other types of data are indicatedby a thin single-line binding line, as shown at 23. Alternatively,different types of binding lines could be distinguished in some othermanner, for example by presenting them in different colors. Where aninput port and an output port are associated with each other by abinding line, they are said to be bound to each other.

In the embodiments disclosed herein, an image or other data elementobtained from a data source by a project definition is processed tocompletion by the project definition before the next successive image ordata item from that data source is provided to the project definition.However, it will be recognized that it would alternatively be possiblefor a project definition to simultaneously have several successiveimages or data elements at various levels of processing, for examplethrough the use of appropriate pipelining techniques. Conceptually, oneway to view the project definition 14 of FIG. 1 is that executionproceeds on a module-by-module basis through the project definitionalong the double-line image data binding lines, from the source module21 to the branch module 26, and then to either the action module 31followed by the destination module 37, or alternatively to the actionmodule 32 followed by the destination module 38. Another way to view theproject definition 14 is that each of the modules is ready at all timesto carry out its respective function, and does so as soon as all dataneeded to carry out that function arrives at the input port(s) of thatmodule.

Image data that is output at 22 by the source module 21 flows to aninput port of a branch module 26. The branch module 26 checks the sizeof the file associated with each image that arrives at its input port.If the file size for a given image is above a predetermined size, thenthe branch module 26 outputs the image data at 27 through a first outputport. Otherwise, it outputs the image data at 28 through a second outputport. The image data at 27 flows to an input port of an action module31, whereas the image data at 28 flows to an input port of an actionmodule 32.

For the sake of simplicity, the action modules 31 and 32 in the exampleof FIG. 1 have identical functions. More specifically, each has afurther input port which receives the text string represented by bindingline 23. As mentioned above, this text string contains the name of thefile associated with the image data. The action modules 31 and 32 eachhave the capability to take the text string and superimpose it on theassociated image data, and then output the result at 33 or 34 through anoutput port. The data at 33 flows to an input port of a destinationmodule 37, and data at 38 flows to an input port of a destination module38. Again, for simplicity, destination modules 37 and 38 arefunctionally identical.

In this regard, and as was the case with the subdirectory 12, thesubdirectories 16 and 17 may each be local or remote, and may beaccessed in different ways. Further, one or both of the subdirectories16 and 17 may be located in proximity to the subdirectory 12, or may beremote from the subdirectory 12. Consequently, since the subdirectories16 and 17 are not part of the project definition 14, the projectdefinition 14 needs to know where to find them and how to access them,so that it knows where to deposit processed data. Accordingly, thedestination modules 37 and 38 each include a definition of where to findthe associated subdirectory 16 or 17, and how to access it. Thus, whenthe project definition 14 has finished processing all of the files fromthe subdirectory 12, the subdirectory 16 will contain a processedversion of the files which are larger than a specified size, and thesubdirectory 17 will contain a processed version of the remaining files.Further, each of the files in subdirectories 16 and 17 will contain animage which has the associated file name superimposed on it.

A brief comment regarding the use of the terms “process” and“sub-process” will help to avoid confusion. A project definition of thegeneral type shown at 14 in FIG. 1 may include two or more mutuallyexclusive sets of modules, which are each referred to as a process. Inthe particular example of FIG. 1, for the sake of simplicity, theproject definition 14 includes only one process, which contains all ofthe modules 21, 26, 31–32, and 37–38. This process has two portions,which are respectively disposed above and below the broken line 42 inFIG. 1.

The modules 21, 23, 31 and 37 which are above the broken line 42 arereferred to herein as a main process, and the modules 32 and 38 whichare below the broken line 42 are referred to as a sub-process.Technically, the main process and the sub-process are each a respectivesub-process of the overall process. However, the first sub-process inevery process is mandatory, and is always the starting point forexecution of the process, and thus it is referred to as the main“process” rather than as the main “sub-process”, even though it isactually a sub-process of the overall process. The presence of one ormore additional sub-processes is entirely optional, and execution may ormay not be transferred to each, depending upon factors such as whetherbranch modules are present and the particular data which is beingprocessed. Consequently, they are referred to as sub-processes. An inputor output port of a given module can be bound to ports of other moduleswithin any of the sub-processes of the same process, but cannot bedirectly bound to ports of modules in other processes of the sameproject definition.

Where a branch module in a main process is capable of routing data to asub-process, the data is always transferred to the first module in thatsub-process, rather than to an intermediate module partway along thesub-process. The same is true where a branch module in a sub-process iscapable of transferring data to a different sub-process. A furthercharacteristic in the disclosed embodiments is that branch modules areallowed to route data to a later sub-process, but never to an earliersub-process or the main process. Moreover, while one output port of abranch module can route data to the next successive module in thecurrent sub-process (which may be the main process), the other outputport is not permitted to route data to a module in the currentsub-process, but must route data to a different sub-process. However, itwill be recognized that an alternative embodiment could accommodatebranch modules having the capability to route data to an earliersub-process (which may be the main process), to a module partway along adifferent sub-process (which may be the main process), or to two moduleswhich are both within the current sub-process. In fact, the alternativeembodiment need not conceptually organize modules of an overall processinto groups treated as respective sub-processes.

As discussed above, the branch module 26 will route each image either at27 to the action module 31 or at 28 to the action module 32. If the datais routed to action module 31, then action module 31 and destinationmodule 32 operate on the image data, while action module 32 anddestination module 38 remain idle. Alternatively, if an image wereinstead to be routed at 28 to the action module 32, then action module32 and destination module 38 would operate on the image data, whileaction module 31 and destination module 37 remained idle. Thus, in theexample of FIG. 1, the branch module 26 determines whether processing ofeach image will be carried out by continuing along the main process,namely in action module 31 and destination module 37, or will be carriedout in the sub-process, namely in action module 32 and destinationmodule 38.

The project definition 14 in FIG. 1 is a simple example, but has beenconfigured to show at least one example of each of the four types ofmodules that are recognized in the disclosed embodiments of the presentinvention. In other words, the disclosed embodiments of the presentinvention recognize source modules, one example of which appears at 21,branch modules, one example of which appears at 26, action modules, twoexamples of which appear at 31 and 32, and destination modules, twoexamples of which appear at 37 and 38. As reflected by the bracketsalong the bottom of FIG. 1, branch modules and action modules aresometimes referred to collectively herein as function modules. Sourcemodules deal with the question of where to find the data to beprocessed, branch modules deal with the question of which data shouldand should not be processed in a specified manner, action modules dealwith the question of what processing should be performed on the data,and destination modules deal with the question of where to put theprocessed data.

In order to put the present invention into perspective, it is helpful tounderstand one possible application for a project definition of the typeshown at 14 in FIG. 1. Product catalogs, whether in the form of a papercatalog or an Internet “Web” site, frequently have numerous pictureseach depicting a respective one of the various items that are availablefor sale. Many years ago, these pictures were prepared using opticalnegatives and photographs. Currently, however, the trend is to maintainand process these pictures in the form of computer files containingdigital images.

A given paper or on-line catalog will usually include products from avariety of different manufacturers, and it is common for eachmanufacturer to provide its own digital images. There will typically bevariation between the form of images provided by differentmanufacturers, for example in terms of characteristics such as the size,shape, resolution, tint, and so forth. It is even possible that theimages from a given manufacturer may have different forms. Accordingly,in order for the images throughout a catalog to have a generally similarappearance, the various images from various sources need to be processedto adjust characteristics such as size, shape, resolution, and/or tint,so as to bring them into general conformity with each other. A furtherconsideration is that a manufacturer's images do not represent a staticsituation, because manufacturers are constantly adding new products withnew images, discontinuing existing products and their images, andproviding updated images for existing products. Moreover, there may beother reasons for adjusting images. For example, with respect to a paperor on-line catalog intended for use during the Christmas season, theremay be a desire to put a festive frame around each image, such as aframe of holly leaves and berries. Moreover, stylistic changes in theimages are often desirable.

The traditional approach for carrying out these various types of imageprocessing tasks has involved manual adjustments effected on animage-by-image basis, through use of image processing software requiringextensive operator interaction. However, this is extremely timeconsuming and expensive. Many organizations employ a number of graphicartists to do this work, at great expense.

A less common approach has been preparation of a hard-coded softwareroutine to process images, written in line-by-line source code. However,these routines are time-consuming and expensive to generate, are likelyto include errors or “bugs”, and have little flexibility because theycannot be modified quickly and cheaply. Moreover, they can only beprepared and executed by a skilled programmer, rather than by a graphicartist who is skilled in image processing but has limited computerskills. It is difficult to find persons who have both artistic andcomputer skills, and they command large salaries.

In contrast to these known approaches, a project definition of the typeshown at 14 in FIG. 1 provides the capability to automate imageprocessing so that a large number of images can be automatically andrapidly processed in a defined manner, and at far less expense thanwould be involved with the traditional and common approach of manualprocessing. Further, and as described in more detail later, the presentinvention provides a simple and user-friendly approach for creating andmodifying project definitions of the type shown at 14 in FIG. 1, therebypermitting graphic artists who have limited computer skills to easilyand accurately create a project definition while substantially avoidingthe likelihood of bugs, with far less overall time and expense than isinvolved with the known approaches discussed above. The advantages ofthe present invention over the known approaches will become even moreapparent as the present invention is discussed in greater detail below.While the foregoing example of catalog preparation focused on processingof image data, and while the disclosed embodiments involve primarily theprocessing of image data, the present invention is also advantageous forapplications which involve processing of other types of data.

The foregoing discussion of FIG. 1 described one specific example ofeach of the source, branch, action and destination categories ofmodules. The present invention actually recognizes several types ofmodules in each category. More specifically, TABLE 1 describes severaldifferent types of source modules, TABLE 2 describes several differenttypes of branch modules, TABLE 3 describes several different types ofaction modules, and TABLE 4 describes several different types ofdestination modules. Some of the module types set forth in TABLES 1–4could be omitted, or additional module types could be included, withoutdeparting from the present invention. The module types set forth inTABLES 1–4 are referred to herein as standard module types. As discussedlater, the present invention also provides for the creation of custommodule types, for example through modification of one of the standardmodule types set forth in TABLES 1–4. The resulting custom module typecan either be substituted for the standard module type from which it wasderived, using the same name, or can be used to supplement the standardmodule types, using a unique new name.

A few comments are appropriate regarding TABLEs 1–4. First, the presentinvention permits the use of virtual paths, where a table is provided toassociate each virtual path with an actual path. Where a projectdefinition uses a virtual path term, each computer on which that projectdefinition may be executed would include a respective table entry toassociate that virtual path with a respective actual path. Thus, theproject definition can be executed without change on each such computer,but will use a different actual path on each computer wherever thevirtual path term appears, without any need to actually modify the pathinformation within the project definition itself.

A further consideration is that, in the disclosed embodiments, projectdefinitions recognize various types of data, including image data,numeric data in a floating point or “float” format, and string data inthe form of a series of text characters. In the discussion whichfollows, references to data types are typically preceded by the prefix“em”, such as “emImage”, “emFloat”, or “emString”. This is an arbitraryprefix, which has been used to facilitate implementation of thedisclosed embodiments. For example, if data is received from an externalsource with an indication that it includes data of a type “emFloat”, itcan be assumed that it conforms to the appropriate format. In contrast,if the data type is merely indicated to be “float”, it would benecessary to evaluate the associated data in an attempt to determinewhich of various formats for floating point data it conforms to, buteven then it may not be possible to tell.

A feature of the present invention is that many of the moduledefinitions in TABLEs 2 through 4 have input ports configured so thatthe input port will accept data in various formats and, if that data isnot in the format preferred by that input port, the input port willautomatically convert the data to its preferred format. This feature isreferred to as data matching. For example, if a number in a floatingpoint format is supplied to an input port which expects data in a stringformat, the floating point value will be converted to a text stringwhich represents the number. Input ports which have this capability areidentified in TABLES 1–4 as having a data type of “emVariant”. This doesnot mean that actual data can be formatted in the “emvariant” format.Instead, “emVariant” refers only to the capability of the input port tobe bound to an output port that produces data conforming to other validdata types, such as “emFloat” or “emString”.

With respect to image data, it should be understood that data for agiven image may include two or more objects and/or layers. For example,an image may have two layers which are each an object. Similarly, if amask is created for an image, the mask will be added to the image datain the form of a separate layer. Also, if text is superimposed onto animage, for example as discussed above in association with the actionmodules 31–32 in FIG. 1, the text will be added as an object, separatefrom other pre-existing objects of the image data. All the objectsassociated with a given image can be combined into a single object,through use of a “Flatten Image” definition which is set forth in TABLE3.

In general, the definitions of source, branching, action and destinationmodules in TABLEs 1–4 are believed to be self-explanatory. However,there is one definition as to which a supplementary comment may behelpful. In this regard, the “Database Access” definition in TABLE 1 isa source module which obtains data in a manner that includes accessing adatabase. The database will include a table that has a plurality of rowscalled records, which each include a plurality of columns called fields.If the data being retrieved is string data, it may be retrieved directlyfrom one of the fields in the table of the database. On the other hand,if the data being retrieved includes image data, the image data willtypically be stored separately from the database, for example withinfiles in a subdirectory, and one field in the table must contain astring with a complete path to the image data.

TABLE 1 SOURCE DEFINITIONS Variable Name Port Type Description DATABASEACCESS Uses a database table or query to identify data to process.Unless processing strings, one field in the table must contain a stringwith a complete path to the image data. May optionally select one ormore additional fields that will be output separately (for binding bysubsequent functions). The database table or query must already existand be defined as an ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity) connection priorto using this function. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. SpecifiedField Output emString Each selected field is converted to string output,and retains field name. FILE BROWSER Adds one file at a time to a listof images to process. The resulting list is saved, and is subsequentlyused during execution to automatically retrieve the specified images insequence. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. INTERNET FILES Collectsall of the image files from a specified URL (Universal Resource Locator)address. Optionally, the function will continue to other pages to whichthe specified site is linked (from one to five levels, as specified bythe Depth setting). By default, it only follows links within the samedomain name, but this can optionally be disabled. ImageOut OutputemImage Image data. LOCAL FILES Indicates a folder or a virtual path towhere images to be processed are stored. Can select whether or notsubfolders (subdirectories) of the indicated folder will be accessed.ImageOut Output emImage Image data. AltText Output emString Alternatetext of the image on that page.

TABLE 2 BRANCHING DEFINITIONS Variable Name Port Type Description ALWAYSJUMP Unconditionally forces execution from the current process to thestart of a specified sub-process. ImageIn Input emImage Image data.ImageOut Output emImage Image data. COLOR TYPE Restricts the processingof images in the current process to only those color types specified.The default setting is that all color types are processed. Fornon-qualifying images, execution can optionally be diverted to asub-process. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut1 Output emImageImage data (current process). ImageOut2 Output emImage Image data (sub-process). FILE FORMAT Restricts processing of image files in the currentprocess to only those file types specified. The default setting is thatall image file types are processed. For non-qualifying images, executioncan optionally be diverted to a sub-process. ImageIn Input emImage Imagedata. ImageOut1 Output emImage Image data (current process). ImageOut2Output emImage Image data (sub- process). FILE SIZE Restricts theprocessing of images in the current process to only those files thatfall within a specified file size range. An upper limit and/or a lowerlimit may be set. The default setting is that all file sizes areprocessed. For non-qualifying images, execution can optionally bediverted to a sub- process. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut1Output emImage Image data (current process). ImageOut2 Output emImageImage data (sub- process). INTERACTIVE Pauses execution and causesdisplay of a dialog box which prompts a person for a decision on whichbranch to take, if any. Allows a default directive to be defined (whichmay be to continue the current process, branch to a sub-process, orterminate all execution). As each image is processed, the list ofavailable options is presented, with the default being applied if an“OK” option is selected. Selecting a “Don't show me this again” checkboxcauses the currently selected option to be automatically applied to eachsubsequent image without interaction. For non-qualifying images,execution can optionally be diverted to a sub-process. ImageIn InputemImage Image data. ImageOut1 Output emImage Image data (currentprocess). ImageOut2 Output emImage Image data (sub- process). STRINGFILTER Restricts the processing of images in the current process to onlythose files that include or exclude (as specified) one or more specificstring values. The condition is met if any of the specified stringsmatch any part of string data in the image. Matching is not casesensitive. For non-qualifying images, execution can optionally bediverted to a sub-process. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut1Output emImage Image data (current process). ImageOut2 Output emImageImage data (sub- process). Source Input emString Source of the stringinput. WIDTH HEIGHT Restricts processing of images in the currentprocess to only those images that fall with specified height and/orwidth parameters (as measured in pixels) . The default setting is thatthere are no restrictions. To set a range having an upper and lowerlimit, use two successive Width Height functions. For non-qualifyingimages, execution can optionally be diverted to a sub- process. ImageInInput emImage Image data. ImageOut1 Output emImage Image data (currentprocess). ImageOut2 Output emImage Image data (sub- process). WILDCARDSpecifies the images to include or exclude from processing in thecurrent process, based on the file name. Standard wildcards may be usedto define the condition, including a question mark (?) to represent anysingle character, and/or an asterisk (*) to represent one or morecharacters. For non-qualifying images, execution can optionally bediverted to a sub- process. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut1Output emImage Image data (current process). ImageOut2 Output emImageImage data (sub- process).

TABLE 3 ACTION DEFINITIONS Variable Name Port Type Description AUTOSELECT Attempts to mask the background (or foreground) of an image. Itlooks at eight points (the four image corners, and the center of eachside) . If three or more points have substantially the same color, it isassumed to be the background color. The resulting mask corresponds topoints throughout the image that match the background color, within a“Tolerance” setting. Small matching patches within the non-backgroundportion may be ignored by enabling a “Remove Holes” option. Successfulmask creation causes execution to continue in the current process.Otherwise, execution can optionally continue for the image in asub-process. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut1 Output emImageImage data (current process). ImageOut2 Output emImage Image data (sub-process). BEVELER Produces a three-dimensional effect by adjusting theborder of the image so that it appears to be beveled. In addition, itallows setting the apparent direction of a light source to produce ashadow effect in regard to the bevel. Parameters include: the percentageof the image to be beveled; the smoothness of the edge of the bevel; theintensity of the light effect overall; the intensity of the light effectalong the bevel edge closest to the light source; and the apparent depthof the bevel. A sample image is displayed to show an example of theeffect that the current parameters will have on an image. ImageIn InputemImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. BLUR IMAGE Blursa specified image or image object to a selected degree, using a selectedone of a “General Blur” or “Gaussian Blur” technique. The “General Blur”may be configured to blur only hard edges, soft edges, or both. A“Lightness” setting can be enabled to smooth the image without affectingthe colors. The “Gaussian Blur” has less versatility, but can have amuch more pronounced blur effect. A sample image is displayed to showhow the current setting would affect an image. ImageIn Input emImageImage data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. CALCULATED EXPANDExpands the shortest side of the image to match the longest side of theimage. The resulting image will be square, with the original imagecentered in it. The added area will be filled with a specified color.ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data.CALCULATOR Image data passes through this function unchanged. Thisfunction performs one or more mathematical computations defined byspecified equations, and outputs the results. Before being converted toa string, output is in the form of a floating point format unless a“Fix” or “Int” option is selected. “Fix” rounds a negative number up tothe nearest whole number, while “Int” rounds a negative number down.Both treat positive numbers the same, by rounding down to the nearestwhole number. Equations may be entered manually in an equationworkspace, or by clicking calculator controls. Variables can bestatically defined at design time, dynamically obtained at input ports,or both. Integers and numeric strings from input ports are automaticallyconverted to floating point values. There are eight temporary variableswhich can store the value of an interim computation for use in asubsequent equation. It is possible to perform a conditional statementthat effects branching, where execution for each image continues ineither the current process or a sub-process, depending on the condition.ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut1 Output emImage Image data(current process). ImageOut2 Output emImage Image data (sub- process).InVal1(2, . . . 8) Input emFloat Any integer, floating point or numericstring value. OutVal1(2, . . . 8) Output emString Calculated valueTemp1(2, . . . 8) — emFloat Used internally for temporary storage. CROPTrims away undesired portions of an image. The “Specified Size” methodindicates in pixels how much of the image should remain afterprocessing. The “Specified Border” method indicates how much of one ormore borders is to be trimmed away. ImageIn Input emImage Image data.ImageOut Output emImage Image data. CROP TO MASK Trims an image to apredefined mask, such as may exist for certain TIF images. There are nouser defined parameters. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOutOutput emImage Image data. DROP SHADOW Adds a shadow effect behind thelast active object. The object may be the image, a mask, or an effectthat was added, such as text from the Text Stamper function. The shadowsize, offset from object, and color may be set, as well as the color ofthe page background. Also, control is permitted for the percentage oftransparency, as well as the number of pixels in the feather. Thefeather length in pixels controls how abruptly the drop shadowtransitions from the page backdrop color to the color of the dropshadow, thereby producing a smoothing effect. If Drop Shadow is appliedto a mask object, the mask object is deleted and the added shadowbecomes the active object. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOutOutput emImage Image data. EXPAND Enlarges an image. The “SpecifiedBorder” method adds a specified number of pixels to one or more sides ofan image. The “Specified Size” method specifies the total size of theimage in pixels. The color of the added area is set to a specifiedcolor, the default being white. ImageIn Input emImage Image data.ImageOut Output emImage Image data. EXTERNAL ACTION Cooperates with aseparate image processing application (such as the applicationcommercially available under the tradename Photoshop from Adobe SystemsIncorporated of San Jose, California). Opens the image in theapplication, performs a specified command in that application, and thenreturns the processed image from that application. Only commands that donot prompt the user for input may be used. ImageIn Input emImage Imagedata. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. FEATHER MASK Produces atransitional feathering effect between the mask and the image. Which waythe feathering occurs depends on a “Direction” setting. Featheringdirections may be “Inside”, “Outside”, or “Center”, from the perspectiveof the mask. The “Edge” setting for the mask determines how abrupt atransition is made, and may be “Normal”, “Hard”, or “Soft”. The “Amount”of feathering is measured by the length in pixels needed to make thetransition. The larger the “Amount”, the smoother the transition.ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data.FILE PATH INFO Image data passes through this function unchanged. Thisfunction supplies several output ports with information derived frompath information associated with the image. ImageIn Input emImage Imagedata. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. DriveOrMachine Output emStringThe path information up to the first single backslash. WholePath OutputemString Path information from after the first single backslash tobefore the last backslash. PathLevel1 (2 . . . ) Output emString Arespective path level name, each of which is information from betweentwo single backslashes. Filename Output emString Filename without theextension. Extension Output emString File name extension. FILL Fills theactive object with a selected color. ImageIn Input emImage Image data.ImageOut Output emImage Image data. FLATTEN IMAGE Combines multipleobjects into one image. An image mask is one example of a separateobject or layer. Separate objects or layers are also created byfunctions such as Text Stamper, Image Stamper, Drop Shadow, and ImageWatermarking. Unless multiple objects are flattened together, certainsubsequent functions affect only the last active object rather than allobjects. For example, if no Flatten Image function is used, a DropShadow function applied after a Text Stamper function will apply theshadow only to the stamped text, and not to the image. ImageIn InputemImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. FLIP Provides amirror image of an image, either vertically and/or horizontally. ImageInInput emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. IMAGEEDGES Places a frame around an image. The color and style of the framecan be specified. Some frames have a separate inset edge as well.Selecting a frame with an inset edge results in an automatic prompt forselection of a color for the inset edge. ImageIn Input emImage Imagedata. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. IMAGE INFO Image data passesthrough this function unchanged. This function outputs informationregarding the image. If a subsequent function modifies the image, a newImage Info function must be executed in order to provide accurateinformation. This function has no user defined settings. ImageIn InputemImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. ImageName OutputemString File name of image with the extension. ImagePathAndName OutputemString Complete path and file name. ImageW Output emString Width ofimage in pixels. ImageN Output emString Height of image in pixels.ImageRes Output emString Image resolution in dpi. IMAGE OBJECTS Imagedata passes through this function unchanged. This function outputsobjects which are respective parts of the image data. This function hasno user defined settings. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOutOutput emImage Image data. Layer1 (2, 3 . . . ) Output emImage Eachimage layer is supplied to a respective output. Mask Output emImage Amask object (if present). ImageName Output emString File name of imagewith the extension. IMAGE STAMPER Places the image being processed ontoa selected background image. The image size, image position, merge mode,transparency, and feathering effect can be specified. A preview windowshows where the image is placed on the background. If Image Stamper isapplied to a mask object, the mask object is deleted and the added imageobject becomes the active object. ImageIn Input emImage Image data.ImageOut Output emImage Image data. IMAGE TINT Applies a tint effect tothe image. The hue and saturation can be specified. A preview windowshows the effect of the specified parameters on a sample image. ImageInInput emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. IMAGEWATERMARKING Superimposes a selected image over the image beingprocessed. By adjusting the transparency level, this can have the effectof stamping each image with a background watermark. If the precedinglayer added to the image is a mask layer, then the added watermark issubject to the mask. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut OutputemImage Image data. INVERT Produces a color negative of an image. Thereare no user settings for this function. ImageIn Input emImage Imagedata. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. NUMERIC FORMAT Image datapasses through this function unchanged. This function reformats anumeric string into one of several common formats (such as thoseprovided in a program available under the tradename VisualBasic fromMicrosoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington). Available formats include“Currency”, “Fixed”, “Yes/No”, and “True/False”. ImageIn Input emImageImage data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. InValue Input emStringNumeric string to format. OutValue Output emString The formatted string.OBJECT ATTRIBUTES Adjusts how the last added object blends with theimage, such as objects added by the Image Stamper, Image Watermarking,and Text Stamper functions. The merge mode, transparency, and feather ofthe object can be specified (which overrides pre-existing values forthese settings) ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut OutputemImage Image data. RESOLUTION Modifies the resolution of the image, inpixels per inch. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut OutputemImage Image data. ROTATE Rotates the image by the specified number ofdegrees (based upon a 360 degree circle) in a specified direction(clockwise or counter-clockwise) ImageIn Input emImage Image data.ImageOut Output emImage Image data. SEND EMAIL Image data passes throughthis function unchanged. If a specified condition is met, a specifiedmessage is sent to a specified email address. The specified conditionmay be selected from one of several options. For example, the conditionmay be met when a specified number of images have been processed.ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data.SIZE Adjusts the width and/or height of the image in pixels. If“Proportional Sizing” is enabled, the width and height aspect ratio ismaintained. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImageImage data. TempString Input emString Any available text string. STRINGBUILDER Image data passes through this function unchanged. This functionoutputs one or more strings which are each a combination of strings thatare either internally pre-defined or obtained from input ports.Combining occurs according to a selected one of several predefineddefinitions, or according to a custom (user- specified) definition. Oneof the internally defined strings can effect sequencing. Definitions forcombining strings use the following syntax: Enclose variables andformulas in curly braces: “{MyVariable}”. Any characters outside curlybraces are placed in the resulting string as literals. Keywords areindicated by brackets, and must also be within a set of braces“{[Keyword]}”. Available keywords include ImageName, ImageWidth,ImageHeight, and Seq. ImageName, ImageWidth, and ImageHeight work thesame as their counterparts from Image Info, without any need for priorexecution of the Image Info function. The Seq keyword defines a sequencethat increments for each image processed. An example is Basename{[Seq.],X, Y, Z}, where X indicates the numeral/character to start from (e.g.“1” or “A”), Y indicates the increment step (e.g. “1”), and Z definesthe number of characters in the sequence portion (e.g. “3”). ImageInInput emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. StrIn1 (2,. . . ) Input emString Any available text string. StrOut1 (2, . . . )Output emString A resulting output string from the String Builder.TEXTSTAMPER Applies a text object onto an image. The text can be definedin the function itself, or obtained through an input port. TextStamperprovides control over the font, size, color, rotation, transparency, andposition of the text. Text Stamper adds only one line of text; to addmultiple lines use successive Text Stamper functions. If the precedinglayer added to the image is a mask layer, then the added text is subjectto the mask. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImageImage data. TextIn Input emString Any available text string. THUMB MAKERProduces a thumbnail version of the image picture. The size can beselected to be one of three common pre- defined thumbnail sizes, or acustom defined size. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOut OutputemImage Image data. UNSHARP MASK Sharpens an image, to an extentdetermined by three parameters: Radius, Strength, and Threshold. ImageInInput emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data.

TABLE 4 DESTINATION DEFINITIONS Variable Name Port Type DescriptionDATABASE OUTPUT Uses a database table or query to identify where todeposit processed data. Unless depositing only strings, one field in thetable must contain a string with a complete path to the destination forthe image data. May optionally select one or more additional fields inwhich separate string input will be deposited. The database table orquery must already exist and be defined as an ODBC (Open DataBaseConnectivity) connection prior to using this function. ImageIn InputemImage Image data. Specified Field Input emString Each selected fieldis filled with a respective string from an input port with the fieldname. DESTINATION FOLDER Specifies where an image is to be placed whenit is saved as output. If the source of the image (see TABLE 1) includedsub-folders, mirroring of the sub- folder structure may optionally beenabled. If a specified folder does not currently exist, it is createdautomatically. If a project uses virtual paths, the destination may bespecified here as a virtual path. This function must precede the FileSaver function in every project, unless the intent is simply to previewimages without saving them. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOutOutput emImage Image data. FILE NAMER Associates a file name with aprocessed image, where the file name is based on a string receivedthrough an input data port. Alternatively, the file name may be based onseveral strings received through multiple input ports, where thesestrings are concatenated with a specified separator character. ImageInInput emImage Image data. ImageOut Output emImage Image data. Input1 (2,3, etc.) Input emString Any available emString output ports. FILE SAVERSaves the current image, including selection of a file format in whichthe image is to be saved. This may be different from the original formatof the image, allowing conversion of file types. If the selected filetype has options, an “Options” button is enabled, and may be clicked sothat the additional settings can be adjusted to other than defaultsettings. If no Destination Folder function precedes this function, datais saved in the same directory as the source file, and overwrites theoriginal file if no change was made to the file name. ImageIn InputemImage Image data. FTP SAVE Saves the current image through a networkto a specified location, including selection of a file format in whichthe image is to be saved. This may be different from the original formatof the image, allowing conversion of file types. If the selected filetype has options, an “Options” button is enabled, and may be clicked sothat the additional settings can be adjusted to other than defaultsettings. The transfer through the network is made according to the FileTransfer Protocol (FTP). ImageIn Input emImage Image data. IMAGESEQUENCER Uses a specified base name to give sequenced names tosuccessive files processed, in a manner similar to the “Seq” option ofthe String Builder function. ImageIn Input emImage Image data. ImageOutOutput emImage Image data.

In FIG. 1, the modules within the project definition 14 are each shownas a rectangular box with a respective label of “source”, “branch”,“action”, or “destination”. Alternatively, however, within the scope ofthe present invention, these module types may each be visuallyrepresented by a respective icon. For example, FIGS. 2–5 show iconsrespectively representing a source module, a branch module, an actionmodule, and a destination module. The particular icons shown in FIGS.2–5 are exemplary icons used in the disclosed embodiments, and it willbe recognized that a variety of other icons could alternatively be used.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a very simple project definition 71, whichwill be used to demonstrate the format in which project definitions arestored for purposes of the disclosed embodiments of the presentinvention. The project definition 71 includes one source module 72, andtwo action modules 73 and 74. The binding lines for image data areindicated at 77 and 78, and a binding line for string data is indicatedat 79. In order to keep the example simple, the project definition 71does not include any branching or destination modules. It can beconsidered to be a project definition which is in the process of beingcreated, but is not yet complete.

In the project definition 71, the source module 72 is a Database Accessmodule. This particular Database Access module obtains image data byeffecting a predefined query to a table in a database, and by obtainingfrom respective fields in each record of the table a first string whichdefines the path to the actual location of a file containing arespective image, and a second string which represents a correspondingprice. The Database Access module 72 then uses each first string toretrieve the corresponding image, which is output at 77, whileoutputting at 79 for each image the corresponding second string whichrepresents a price. Thus, the module 72 successively outputs a number ofimages and associated prices.

The action module 73 is a Fill module, which adds color to an activeobject of the image, and then outputs at 78 the modified image data. Theaction module 74 is a Text Stamper module, which superimposes onto theimage data received at 78 the text string received at 79. As notedabove, this text string represents a price. The text will be added as anew and further object in the image data, which thereafter becomes theactive object.

The project definition 71 of FIG. 6 can be represented visually in otherways. For example, FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the sameproject definition 71, but with a different visual appearance. In FIG.7, there are three pipe sections 82–84 arranged end-to-end, so as tocollectively give the appearance of a pipeline through which image dataand/or other data can flow. The pipe section 82 represents the DatabaseAccess module, the pipe section 83 represents the Fill module, and thepipe section 84 represents the Text Stamper module. With respect to thebinding lines 77–78 in FIG. 6, which represent image data, there are nocorresponding binding lines in FIG. 7, because the end-to-endrelationship of the pipe sections is representative of the flow of imagedata from module to module. With respect to the binding line 79 of FIG.6, which represents text string data, it has been arbitrarily omitted inFIG. 7, in order to emphasize that this type of binding line canoptionally be included or excluded from a view such as that shown inFIG. 7. Where the binding line is excluded, the text string data may beconsidered to be flowing through the pipeline with the image data. Themodules 82–84 of FIG. 7 each have in the middle thereof an icon which isdifferent from the icons shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, in order to make thepoint that the invention permits the use of various different icons.

One feature of the present invention is that each project definition,such as those shown at 14 and 71 in FIGS. 1 and 6, is stored in a formwhich is expressed in a public communication protocol. The publiccommunication protocol used in the disclosed embodiments is theextensible Markup Language (XML) protocol, which is well known in theindustry. However, some other public communication protocol couldalternatively be used. Referring to TABLE 5, the right column shows howthe project definition 71 of FIG. 6 would be expressed in the XMLprotocol, according to the disclosed embodiments of the invention. Forconvenience, various levels of indentation have been provided in orderto make the XML information more readable, but the indentation is notintended to suggest that the actual XML file includes characters toeffect such indentation. The line numbers presented in the left columnof TABLE 5 are not part of the XML expression of the project definition,but instead have been added to sequentially number the lines of the XMLdefinition, in order to facilitate an explanation of the XMLinformation, which is set forth below. For readability and convenience,some single lines of the XML file are shown as two or more lines inTABLE 5, and the line numbers added in the left column help show wherethis has occurred. Much of TABLE 5 is believed to be generallyself-explanatory. Accordingly, the following discussion does not addressevery line in TABLE 5, but instead offers comments regarding onlyselected lines, as appropriate.

In this regard, line 1 shows that the project definition 71 has beenarbitrarily given the name “Project Name”. Line 2 refers to a groupname, but the concept of groups has been included for a future purposewhich is not relevant to an understanding of the present invention, andgroups are therefore not discussed here.

Line 3 indicates that the process name has arbitrarily been set to be“First Process”. In an XML definition of the type shown in FIG. 5, oneprocess is defined first in its entirety, and then any other processesare each defined in their entirety, in a sequence. Within each process,the sub-processes are defined in sequence, with the main process beingdefined first in its entirety, after which the sub-processes (if any)are each being defined in their entirety, in sequence. In the simpleproject definition 71 shown in FIG. 6, of course, the project definitionincludes only one process, which in turn includes only one sub-process,namely the main process.

Line 4 of TABLE 5 identifies the beginning of a module list, which is asequential listing of all modules in the main process portion of theprocess. As shown in FIG. 6, the main process of the project definition71 has only the three modules 72–74. The Database Access module 72 isdefined in lines 5–30 of TABLE 5, the Fill module 73 is defined in lines31–43 of TABLE 5, and the Text Stamper module 74 is defined in lines44–108 of TABLE 5. Line 109 identifies the end of the modules for themain process. Line 110 is a heading which identifies where othersub-processes would be defined, if this process included anysub-processes other than the main process. Line 111 identifies the endof the first process. Lines 112–115 are headers which identify where oneor more other processes of the project definition would be defined, ifthe project definition included more than one process. Lines 116–117 ofTABLE 5 identify the end of the project definition.

Turning in more detail to lines 5–30 of TABLE 5, which define theDatabase Access module 72, line 5 includes an “Id” of“com.image2web.databaseaccess” which, in the disclosed embodiments, isan internal code identifying a segment of object code that implementsthe functionality of the Database Access module. The next portion ofline 5 refers to an “Instance”, which in this example is set to thenumeral “1”. This indicates that this is the first occurrence of theDatabase Access type of module in the project definition 71. If theproject definition 71 included two or more Database Access modules, theywould be respectively identified by successive integer instance numbers,corresponding to the order in which they appear in the XML file.

Lines 13–14 in TABLE 5 identify the database which should be accessed inorder to retrieve image data, which in this case is a database named“photography”. As noted in the explanation in TABLE 1 of the DatabaseAccess definition, the connection for this database must already existand be defined as an Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) connection. Thispermits the Database Access module to easily interact with pre-existingdatabases through the use of public communication protocols, without anyneed to make any change to the databases. In the specific example ofTABLE 5, the word “photography” in line 14 provides a unique link to anexisting ODBC connection, which in turn provides the link to and queryfor the specified database. Lines 10–12 of TABLE 5 define the particulartable within the database which is to be accessed. In this particularexample, the “photography” database has several tables which are eachnamed after a respective photographer, and that each relate tophotographs taken by that particular photographer. Each table has a namewhich corresponds to the name of the associated photographer, which inthis example is “Robert Shutterbug”. Lines 7–9 and lines 20–22 of TABLE5 each define a respective field within the indicated table, thecontents of which are to be obtained by and output from the DatabaseAccess module 72.

Lines 25–29 of TABLE 5 define the various output ports of the DatabaseAccess module 72. In particular, line 28 defines an output port for theimage data, which is associated with the binding line 77 in FIG. 6. Line28 in TABLE 5 defines an output port for a string which represents aprice, and which is associated with binding line 79 in FIG. 6. Line 27defines an output port for the filename of the image, but this outputport is not used in FIG. 6.

Turning to the Fill module 73, line 38 in TABLE 5 defines an input portfor image data, and includes a term “BoundTo”, which effectively definesthe binding line 77 of FIG. 6, by identifying the output port of themodule 72 to which the input port of the module 73 is bound.

Turning to the Text Stamper module 74 of FIG. 6, its definition in TABLE5 appears at lines 44–108. Within this definition, lines 46–99 define anumber of parameters, which are collectively referred to herein ascontrol information, and which may be specified by a user in order todefine the particular operational characteristics which this particularinstance of the Text Stamper module is to have. For example, to theextent that the Text Stamper module 74 is superimposing onto an imagesome text which represents a price, the parameters definecharacteristics of that text, such as its location, font, size, color,and so forth. Line 103 of TABLE 5 defines the input port of the textstamper module at which it receives the image data, and includes a“BoundTo” term which defines its association with an output port of theFill module 73. In other words, the “BoundTo” term defines the bindingline 78 of FIG. 6. Similarly, line 102 of TABLE 5 defines for the TextStamper module 74 an input port for text, which in this case representsa price. Line 102 also includes a “BoundTo” term which defines theassociation of this input port with an output port of the data accessmodule 72, or in other words the binding line 79.

TABLE 5 PROJECT DEFINITION IN XML 1 <Project Name=“Project Name” Desc=“”Version=“1.0”> 2 <Group Name=“Project Name” Desc=“”> 3 <ProcessName=“First Process” Desc=“”> 4 <ModuleList> 5 <ModuleName=“Database_(—)Access” Id=“com.image2web.databaseaccess”Instance=“1”> 6 <Properties> 7 <Property Name=“Output-ImageFilename”DataType=“emVariant”> 8 <Value>ImageFilename</Value> 9 </Property> 10<Property Name=“Table” DataType=“emVariant”> 11 <Value>RobertShutterbug</Value> 12 </Property> 13 <Property Name=“DSN”DataType=“emVariant”> 14 <Value>photography</Value> 15 </Property> 16<Property Name=“Input-Field” DataType=“emVariant”> 17 <Desc>ImagePath</Desc> 18 <Value>ImageFilename</Value> 19 </Property> 20 <PropertyName=“Output-Price” DataType=“emVariant”> 21 <Value>Price</Value> 22</Property> 23 </Properties> 24 <Inputs/> 25 <Outputs> 26 <PropertyName=“Price” DataType=“emVariant”/> 27 <Property Name=“ImageFilename”DataType=“emVariant”/> 28 <Property Name=“ImageOut” DataType=“emImage”/>29 </Outputs> 30 </Module> 31 <Module Name=“Fill”Id=“com.image2web.fill” Instance=“1”> 32 <Properties> 33 <PropertyName=“FillColor” DataType =“emVariant”> 34 <Value>1973978</Value> 35</Property> 36 </Properties> 37 <Inputs> 38 <Property Name=“ImageIn”DataType=“emImage” BoundTo=“com.image2web.databaseaccess.1.Output.ImageOut”/> 39 </Inputs> 40 <Outputs> 41 <PropertyName=“ImageOut” DataType=“emImage”/> 42 </Outputs> 43 </Module> 44<Module Name=“Text_(—)Stamper” Id=“com.image2web.textstamper”Instance=“1”> 45 <Properties> 46 <Property Name=“PageColor”DataType=“emVariant”> 47 <Value>16777215</Value> 48 </Property> 49<Property Name=“LiteralXPosition” DataType=“emVariant”> 50<Value>0</Value> 51 </Property> 52 <Property Name=“Bold”DataType=“emVariant”> 53 <Value>0</Value> 54 </Property> 55 <PropertyName=“Transparency” DataType=“emVariant”> 56 <Value>100</Value> 57</Property> 58 <Property Name=“FontSize” DataType=“emVariant”> 59<Value>24</Value> 60 </Property> 61 <Property Name=“Bound”DataType=“emVariant”> 62 <Value>−1</Value> 63 </Property> 64 <PropertyName=“BorderText” DataType=“emVariant”> 65 <Value>0</Value> 66</Property> 67 <Property Name=“MergeMode” DataType=“emVariant”> 68<Value>Normal</Value> 69 </Property> 70 <Property Name=“Underline”DataType=“emVariant”> 71 <Value>0</Value> 72 </Property> 73 <PropertyName=“BoundName” DataType=“emVariant”> 74 <Value>Price</Value> 75</Property> 76 <Property Name=“ExpandToFit” DataType=“emVariant”> 77<Value>−1</Value> 78 </Property> 79 <Property Name=“Color”DataType=“emVariant”> 80 <Value>0</Value> 81 </Property> 82 <PropertyName=“TextPosition” DataType=“emVariant”> 83 <Value>CenterCenter</Value>84 </Property> 85 <Property Name=“LiteralYPosition”DataType=“emVariant”> 86 <Value>0</Value> 87 </Property> 88 <PropertyName=“Angle” DataType=“emVariant”> 89 <Value>0</Value> 90 </Property> 91<Property Name=“Font” DataType=“emVariant”> 92 <Value>Arial</Value> 93</Property> 94 <Property Name=“UseLiteralPosition” DataType=“emVariant”>95 <Value>0</Value> 96 </Property> 97 <Property Name=“Italic”DataType=“emVariant”> 98 <Value>0</Value> 99 </Property> 100</Properties> 101 <Inputs> 102 <Property Name=“TextLine”DataType=“emVariant” BoundTo=“com.image2web.databaseaccess.1.Output.ImageFilename”/> 103 <Property Name=“ImageIn”DataType=“emImage” BoundTo=“com.image2web.fill.1. Output.ImageOut”/> 104</Inputs> 105 <Outputs/> 106 <Property Name=“ImageOut”DataType=“emImage”/> 107 </Outputs> 108 </Module> 109 </ModuleList> 110<SubProcessList/> 111 </Process> 112 <Process Name=“Second Process”Desc=“”> 113 <ModuleList/> 114 <SubProcessList/> 115 </Process> 116<Group> 117 </Project>

The project definitions discussed above in association with FIGS. 1 and6–7 are relatively simple. FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a furtherproject definition 101, which is more sophisticated. It includes asingle process which is shown in its entirety in FIG. 8, and whichincludes three sub-processes 102–104, namely a main process 102, and twofurther sub-processes 103 and 104. It also includes a feature which hasnot previously been discussed, which is a global portion 107 having aplurality of global ports 111–114.

The ports 111–114 of the global portion 107 can be accessed by moduleswithin the main process 102 or by modules within either of thesub-processes 103–104. The ports 111–114 can each act as an input portand/or an output port, depending on the particular operationalconfiguration. More specifically, the ports 111–114 can each act as aform of register or memory location, in which one module can storeinformation, and from which another module can later read it. The datain the port can thus change dynamically during project execution. Theport 112 in FIG. 8 is configured to operate in this manner, and thusacts as both an input port and an output port. Further, the ports111–114 can each be initialized to a predetermined value. If no modulechanges the initial value stored in that port, then that initial valueserves as a form of data constant which does not change, and which canbe accessed by any module throughout execution of the projectdefinition. In FIG. 8, the port 114 is configured to act in this manner,and thus acts as an output port. In more detail, the port 114 isinitialized to a string value which is superimposed onto images, asexplained later.

If, in addition to the process defined by the main process 102 and thesub-processes 103–104, the project definition 101 included an additionalprocess, then each process would have its own global portion 107. Theports of each global portion 107 would be global to the associatedprocess, but not the other process. In addition to the two globalportions 107, a further global portion would appear in FIG. 8 adjacentthe global portion 107. The ports of the further global portion would beglobal to both processes, or in other words the entire projectdefinition. The ports of the further global portion could be referred toas project level ports, and the ports of each of the global portions 107could be referred to as process level ports.

The various types of modules which make up the project definition 101 ofFIG. 8 are each described in TABLES 1–4. However, for purposes ofclarity and completeness, each is also briefly discussed below. Morespecifically, the main process 102 includes a Database Access module121, which obtains and outputs a plurality of successive images from anot-illustrated database, in a manner similar to that discussed above inassociation with the Database Access module 72 of FIG. 6. These imagesare supplied at 122 to an Image Info module 126.

The Image Info module 126 does not change the image data, but doesoutput certain information about the image data, including the height ofthe image at 127 and the width of the image at 128. The height and widthare each output in the form of a string representation of a numericvalue which is the number of pixels in the height or width. The heightis supplied at 127 to the port 112 of the global portion 107, and issaved there for later use. The width is output at 128. The binding line128 is a special type of binding line known as a conditional binding,which is explained later. The module 126 outputs the unchanged imagedata at 129, where it flows to a Send Email module 131.

The module 131 does not change the image data, but sends an email(electronic mail message) in response to the occurrence of a predefinedcondition, where the email is a predefined text message that is sent toa predefined email address. In the Send Email module 131 of the projectdefinition 101, the condition that causes the module 131 to send anemail is met when the last image produced by the Database Access module121 is being processed. There are various ways in which this could bedetected, for example by counting images if the number of images to beprocessed is known in advance, or by detecting a predetermined file nameassigned to the last image. Alternatively, as a process completes, an“execution finished” message could be provided to all modules of theprocess, or at least to each Send Email module in the process, therebycausing each Send Email module to proceed to send its email. The text ofthe email might notify a person that all of the image data in questionhas been processed by the project definition 101, and is available foruse.

The unchanged image data from the module 131 flows at 132 to a StringBuilder module 136, which does not change the image data. As explainedin TABLE 3, the String Builder module 136 can generate a sequence ofnames, where each name in the sequence is generated when a respectiveone of the images passes through the module 136. In the projectdefinition 101, the module 136 is configured to generate a sequence ofnames which are “Image01” “Image02”, “Image03”, and so forth. Thesesequential names are successively supplied through an output port of theString Builder module 136, which is associated with a binding line 137.

The unchanged image data from the Stringer Builder module 136 flows at138 to a File Size module 141. The module 141 does not change the imagedata. It outputs the image data at either 142 or 143, depending on thesize of the file which contains the image data, in a manner alreadydiscussed above. Image data that is output at 143 flows to thesub-process 103, as discussed later. Image data that is output at 142flows to an Interactive module 146 of the main process 102.

The Interactive module 146 does not change the image data. It does pauseexecution of the project definition 101, while requesting that a personmanually specify where the current image is to be sent. In particular,the person can specify that the current image is to be sent at 148 tothe sub-process 104, or that the image can continue at 147 along themain process 102. In view of the fact that the Interactive module 147has the effect of pausing execution for each image processed by theproject definition 101, and in view of the fact that an importantapplication of the present invention is automated processing of data,modules of the Interactive type would typically be omitted from mostproject definitions. However, the Interactive module 146 has beenincluded in the exemplary project definition 101 of FIG. 8 in order tofacilitate a better understanding of this feature of the presentinvention. With reference to TABLE 2, and as discussed in more detaillater, the Interactive module 146 provides a user with the capability tomanually and interactively specify whether data is to be directed to 147or 148. In addition, it provides the user with the capability to specifythat the Interactive module 146 should automatically take a specifiedaction for all subsequent images which are processed during the currentexecution of the project definition 101. Assuming that, in response to aquery from the Interactive module 146, a person indicates that imagedata from the module 146 is to continue along the main process 102, themodule 146 causes the unchanged image data to flow at 147 to a TextStamper module 151.

The Text Stamper module 151 has an additional input port, which isassociated by the binding line 128 with the image width output from theImage Info module 126, and also with the port 112 of the global portion107. As mentioned above, the binding line 128 is a conditional binding.This means that the binding 128 can selectively supply data to the inputport of the Text Stamper module 151 from either of two different outputports, which in FIG. 8 are the image width output of the module 126, andthe port 112 of the global portion 107. Conceptually, the conditionshould be viewed as an internal part of the binding 128 itself, ratherthan as a part of the global portion 107, the module 126, or the module151. Considered this way, it will be recognized that the condition canbe based on data which is available to the binding 128 from either ofthe associated output ports, which in FIG. 8 include the image heightinformation and image width information that it respectively receivesfrom the output ports of the global portion 107 and the module 126. Forexample, the condition might be set to specify that the binding 128 isto compare the height and width values, and to supply the larger of thetwo values to the Text Stamper module 151.

The Text Stamper module 151 takes the height or width value receivedfrom the conditional binding 128, and superimposes it on the imagereceived at 147. The height or width information becomes a separateobject which is part of the overall image data. All of the objects ofthe image data are supplied at 152 to a File Namer module 156.

The module 156 associates with the image data a file name, under whichthe image data will eventually be stored. For this purpose, the FileNamer module 156 has an input port coupled through the binding 137 tomodule 136. As discussed above, the module 136 generates a uniquesequenced name as each respective image is processed. Accordingly,module 156 associates the unique name from binding 137 with the imagecurrently passing through the module 156, and then forwards the imagedata and newly associated name at 157 to a Destination Folder module161. Aside from associating a name with the image data, the file namermodule 156 does not change the image data itself.

The Destination Folder module 161 defines the name of a folder orsubdirectory into which images processed by the main process 102 are tobe deposited. In essence, the File Namer module 156 associates with theimage data a file name, and the Destination Folder module 161 associateswith the image data a path to a subdirectory. The module 161 does notchange the image data itself. The image data with its associatedinformation is supplied at 162 to a File Saver module 166.

The File Saver module 166 is responsible for actually saving the data,and can also specify which of several common image formats the imagedata is to be saved in. The File Saver module 166 saves the image datain the folder or subdirectory specified by module 161, under the filename specified by module 156, and in the format specified by the FileSaver module 166 itself. The File Saver module 166 is configured to savethe data locally with respect to the computer which is executing theproject definition 101, for example within the context of an intranet orLAN, but not to a remote location that can only be accessed through anon-local network such as the Internet.

Returning to the File Size module 141, it was explained above that,depending on file size, certain images would be routed at 143 to thesub-process 103. In particular, these images will be routed to an inputport of a Text Stamper module 168. The module 168 superimposes on eachsuch image a non-changing text string, which it obtains through an inputport from the output port 114 of the global portion 107. Thissuperimposed text is added to the image data in the form of anadditional object, which becomes a part of the image data. All of theobjects of the image data are supplied at 169 to a File Namer module171.

The File Namer module 171 operates in the same manner as described abovefor the File Namer module 156, and then supplies the image data andassociated information at 172 to a Destination Folder module 176. Themodule 172 operates in the same manner as the Destination Folder module161, except that it uses a different name for the destination folder.The image data and associated information are then supplied at 177 to anFTP Save module 181.

The FTP Save module 181 uses the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) totransfer the processed image data and associated information through anetwork to a specified destination, where it is saved in a folder havingthe name specified by the Destination Folder module 176, under a namespecified by the File Namer 171, and in a format specified by the FTPSave module 181. The module 181 is capable of saving data to a remotelocation, for example through the Internet.

Returning to the Interactive module 146, it was explained above that auser can selectively specify that a current image is to continue at 147along the main process 102, or is to be routed at 148 to the sub-process104. In the sub-process 104, this image is received at an input port ofan External Action module 186. The module 186 is designed to cooperatewith a separately and independently executing application program, whichin the disclosed embodiments is an image processing program, such as theprogram that is commercially available under the tradename PHOTOSHOPfrom Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif. It is to beunderstood that this separate application program is operative only whenaccessed through an External Action module. Thus, for example, wherethis application program is an image processing program, it onlyperforms image processing functions initiated through an External Actionmodule. The image processing functions implemented by other modules areimplemented by other software, as discussed in more detail later.

The External Action module 186 includes a command which was specified bythe person who created the project definition 101, and which is acommand that the separate image processing program is capable ofexecuting. The module 186 supplies the current image and also thecommand to the image processing program, which then executes the commandwhile processing the image in the manner specified by the command. Theimage processing program then returns the processed image to theExternal Action module 186, which supplies the processed image at 187 toa File Namer module 191.

The File Namer module 191 operates in the same manner as described abovefor the modules 156 and 171, and then outputs image data and anassociated name at 192 to a Database Output module 196. The DatabaseOutput module 196 operates in a manner similar to the Database Accessmodule 121, except that it saves data rather than reading data. The datais saved under the file name specified by module 191.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a system 201 which implements the presentinvention. The configuration of the system 201 is exemplary, and a widevariety of changes could be made to this system while maintainingcompatibility with implementation of the present invention. The system201 includes an intranet 206, such as a local area network (LAN), whichis coupled through a “Web” server 207 to a wide area network (WAN), suchas the Internet 208. The intranet 206 is coupled to a workstation 211, aprocess server 212, a file server 216, an auxiliary server 217, andthree imaging servers 221–223. The Internet 208 is coupled to aworkstation 226, a database 227, a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site231, and an enterprise resource management (ERM) program 232. The ERMprogram provides support in areas such as human resources and financialmatters. The ERM program 232 may, for example, be the programcommercially available under the tradename PEOPLESOFT from PeopleSoft,Inc. of Pleasanton, Calif. It will be recognized that the devicescoupled to the Internet 208 in FIG. 9 could alternatively be coupled tothe intranet 206, and that the devices coupled to the intranet 206 couldalternatively be coupled to the Internet 208.

The computers and related hardware shown in FIG. 9 are all of a typeknown in the art. For purposes of explaining the present invention, thefollowing discussion will focus on the manner in which these knownhardware components are configured into a system, and the varioussoftware programs which are executed by the various computers of FIG. 9.

The file server 216 can receive data files from portable media such as astandard floppy disk 236, or a standard compact disk 237, and can storethis data at 238, for example in a hard disk drive. Conversely, some orall of the data stored at 238 can be offloaded onto a floppy disk 236and/or a read/write compact disk 237. The data stored on the floppy disk236 or the compact disk 237 will typically be in a compressed format,which conforms to an industry-standard compression technique.Consequently, the file server 216 has the capability to uncompress datathat is read from the floppy disk 236 or the compact disk 237, beforethat data is stored at 238. Similarly, the file server 216 has thecapability to compress data obtained from 238 before writing it to thefloppy disk 236 or the compact disk 237.

The imaging servers 221–223 are all effectively identical, and thereforeonly the imaging server 221 is illustrated and described here in detail.The imaging server 221 includes a processor 241 and a memory 242. Theprocessor 241 runs an operating system 246, which in the disclosedembodiments is one of the versions of an operating system that iscommercially available under the tradename WINDOWS from MicrosoftCorporation of Redmond, Wash. However, it could be some other operatingsystem. Running on the operating system 246 within the processor 241 isa program which is an imaging server module 247. The memory 242 storestwo tasks 251 and 252, which each include a project definition 256,selected executables 257, and data 258.

With respect to the imaging server 221, as well as other servers andworkstations discussed later, it will be recognized that the dividingline between what is in the processor in FIG. 9 and what is in thememory has been drawn somewhat arbitrarily. For example, programs suchas the operating system 246 and the imaging server module 247 are eachdepicted in the processor, but also use a certain amount of the memory242. Conversely, the memory 242 is depicted as containing someexecutable code at 257, but the actual execution of this code willultimately occur within the processor 241. Nevertheless, it is believedthat those skilled in the art will readily comprehend thesedistinctions, and the breakdown shown in FIG. 9 has been selected tofacilitate a clear understanding of the present invention.

In the imaging server 221, the imaging server module 247 executesproject definitions of the type discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1and 6–8. In particular, it obtains data through the intranet 206 and/orthe Internet 208, processes the data in the manner specified by theproject definition, and then deposits the processed data to a datadestination through the intranet 206 and/or the Internet 208. If thedata arrives at the imaging server 221 in a compressed format, theimaging server can uncompress the data before processing it. Similarly,where appropriate, the imaging server 221 can compress data beforesaving it to a data destination. Transmission of data from data sourcesand to data destinations through the networks is effected according toan appropriate public communication protocol, such as the FTP protocol,the XML protocol, the HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP), or some othersuitable protocol. FIG. 9 shows several examples of devices that theimaging server module 247 can write data to and/or read data from. Theseinclude the FTP site 231, the database 227, the ERM 232, and the fileserver 216.

In general, and as discussed later, the information contained in tasks251 and 252 is a copy of information that is also present elsewhere inthe system 201. The copy of this information is supplied to the memory242 of the server 221 on a temporary basis, for purposes of permittingthe server 221 to execute a project definition associated with each suchtask. In more detail, the project definition 256 in each of the tasks251 and 252 is a respective project definition of the general typediscussed above in association with FIGS. 1 and 6–8, and is stored in anXML format consistent with the example shown in TABLE 5. The data 258represents temporary storage for data that is being processed by theassociated project definition 256. One example of such data is imagesthat have been obtained from a source such as the FTP site 231, and thatwill be returned to a destination such as the FTP site 231 after theyhave been processed. The selected executables 257 are selected objectcode files, which may or may not be present in a given task 251 or 252.Whether or not there are executables stored at 257 is a function of theabove-mentioned capability for creating custom modules.

In this regard, the imaging server module 247 knows how to executedefinitions for standard modules, including those set forth in TABLEs1–4. However, it cannot inherently know how to execute definitions forcustom modules. Accordingly, if a given project definition 256 happensto include one or more custom modules, then object code files that arecapable of implementing those custom modules are included at 257 in thetask 251 or 251 for that project definition, so that the imaging servermodule 247 will have the additional intelligence that it needs toexecute the custom modules in the project definition.

Although the tasks 251 and 252 in the disclosed embodiments each includea project definition at 256 and selected executables at 257, it wouldalternatively be possible to use pointers rather than the actual data.That is, the tasks 251 and 252 could include at 256 a pointer to thepertinent project definition as stored in the process server 212, andcould include at 257 one or more pointers to the selected executables asstored within the process server 212. The imaging server 221 could thenuse the pointers to download from the process server 212 only theinformation which it needed.

Although FIG. 9 shows that the imaging server 221 has been supplied withtwo tasks 251 and 252, which each correspond to a respective projectdefinition, the number of tasks being handled by the imaging server 221at any given point in time could be higher or lower. In particular, theimaging server 221 might be handling only one task, or might be handlingseveral tasks. In general, to the extent that the imaging server 221 hastwo or more task at any given point in time, it will be executing thetasks in parallel, for example by supplying slices of processor time toeach task in a manner which keeps each task moving along as efficientlyas possible. In this regard, if one of the tasks is processing imagedata obtained from the FTP site 231 through the Internet 208 andintranet 206, there are likely to be times when that task is essentiallyidle, because it is waiting for more image data, and thus the processorcan be concentrating on execution of one or more other tasks. The sameis true when any other task becomes idle for some reason, because theprocessor will concentrate on remaining tasks which are currentlyactive. If the set of tasks assigned to a given processor are notcumulatively keeping the processor busy almost all of the time, stillanother task can be assigned to the processor, in a manner describedlater.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, a single instance of the imaging servermodule 247 is used in each of the imaging servers 221–223, and canexecute multiple project definitions. However, it would alternatively bepossible for each imaging server 221–223 to execute two or moreinstances of the project server module 247, where each such instance wasresponsible for executing a respective one of the project definitions.

The auxiliary server 217 executes an operating system 271, which in thedisclosed embodiments is a version of the operating system availableunder the trade name WINDOWS. Running on the operating system 271 withinthe auxiliary server 217 is an image processing application program 272,which in the disclosed embodiments is a program commercially availableunder the tradename PHOTOSHOP from Adobe Systems Incorporated of SanJose, Calif. However, some other image processing application program,or some other type of application program, could alternatively be used.Moreover, even though the embodiment of FIG. 9 has the applicationprogram 272 running on a computer 217 which is physically separate fromother computers in the system 201, it would alternatively be possiblefor the application program 272 to run on one of the other computers inthe system 201, such as the process server 212 or one of the imagingservers 221–223.

If one of the imaging servers 221–223 is executing a project definitionwhich includes an External Action module, then in order to execute thatExternal Action module, the imaging server passes the current image anda specified command through the intranet 206 to the auxiliary server217. The image processing application 272 in the auxiliary server 217then executes the command so as to effect the specified processing ofthe image, and then returns the processed image through the intranet 206to the imaging server. When the system 201 is operational, the auxiliaryserver 217 and the image processing application 272 normally run all ofthe time, and are thus typically ready and waiting when an image andassociated command arrive through the intranet 206. As noted above, theapplication program 272 is effective only as to functions initiatedthrough an External Action module, such as the External Action moduleshown at 186 in FIG. 8. Thus, where the application program 272 is animage processing program, it implements only image processing functionsinitiated by an External Action module. Image processing functionsinitiated by all other types of modules are implemented by othersoftware, such as the imaging server program 247 that runs on eachimaging server 221–223.

The process server 212, which may alternatively be referred to as a loadbalancing server, is responsible for monitoring the imaging servers221–223, and allocating tasks to the imaging servers 221–223 independence on factors such as their current level of efficiency, whichreflects their availability to take on execution of additional projectdefinitions. The manner in which this occurs is described below. Thevarious software programs that run on the process server 212 may bereferred to collectively as a process server framework.

The process server 212 includes a processor 277 and a memory 278. Thememory stores a number of sets of user data, which are each associatedwith a particular person. For the sake of example, four sets of suchuser data are shown at 281–284, but in practice the process server 212will store a much larger number of sets of user data. Each set of userdata includes one or more project definitions 286, and one or morecustom definitions 287. It is possible for a user, for example at one ofthe workstations 211 or 226, to store a project definition in his or herportion 286 of the memory 278. This can also be referred to as“publishing” the project definition to the process server 212. Whenevera project definition is published to the process server 212, the objectcode for any custom modules used in that project definition willautomatically and simultaneously be published with it, and in particularwill be stored in that user's custom definition portion 287 of thememory 278. Further, when a project definition is published to theprocess server 212, the local copy of the project definition in theworkstation 211 will be automatically deleted, unless the userspecifically indicates that it should be saved.

Although a user has access to his or her own project definitions 286 andany associated custom definitions 287, others will not have access tothem, except to the extent that the user elects to give them access. Inthis regard, the user data 281–284 in FIG. 9 is organized into twogroups 291 and 292, where the group 291 includes the user data 281 and282, and the group 292 includes the user data 283 and 284. In thisdisclosed embodiment, the groups 291 and 292 each correspond to arespective different entity. For example, the group 291 may correspondto a first corporation, where the user data 291 and the user data 292respectively correspond to two different employees of that corporation,and the group 292 may correspond to a second corporation, where the userdata 293 and the user data 294 respectively correspond to two differentemployees of the second corporation.

When a user publishes project definitions and any associated customdefinitions to the process server 212, it is possible to do so in amanner so that other users within the same organization or entity canhave access to specified project definitions and/or custom definitions.Thus, for example, the user associated with the data 282 may be givenaccess to some or all of the project definitions at 281, which willautomatically include access to any custom definitions used by thoseproject definitions. Also, the user associated with data 282 mayseparately be given access to some or all of the custom definitions at281, even if the user has not been given access to any of the projectdefinitions at 281. The disclosed embodiment contemplates that thiscross access to project definitions and custom definitions will belimited to users within a given entity, such as the entity 291 or theentity 292, and that users in one entity such as the entity 291 will notbe able to have access to data of users in another entity such as theentity 292. However, in an alternative embodiment, cross access to userdata could occur between users in two different entities.

A user at one of the workstations 211 or 226 may upload to thatworkstation any project definition from the process server 212 to whichthat user has access. In doing so, the user may either make a copy ofthe project definition, such that the original in the imaging serverremains available to anyone that has access to it. Alternatively, theuser may upload a project definition through a “check out” procedurewhich makes the project definition in the process server unavailable toeveryone until the user checks the copy back in (along with any changesthat the user may have made to the copy).

The memory 278 also stores a request queue 296. Execution of one of theproject definitions 286 is initiated in response to receipt by theprocess server 212 of a request. Such a request may arrive through theintranet 206 and/or Internet 208, for example from a user at one of theworkstations 211 and 226. When the request arrives, the request istemporarily placed in the queue 296, which implements a first-in,first-out stack. Typically, the request will identify one of the projectdefinitions stored at 286 in one of the sets of user data 281–284.Alternatively, however, the request may be accompanied by a projectdefinition and any custom definitions used by that project definition,which are then temporarily stored in the user data 281 for that user,until execution of that project definition has been completed.

Requests for the queue 296 may also originate in some other manner. Forexample, assume that a given project definition stored in one of theportions 286 of the memory 278 processes data from the database 227. Thedatabase 227 may include a script or other intelligence which, inresponse to a change to the pertinent source data in the database 227,automatically generates and sends to the process server 212 a requestfor execution of the given project definition, so that the modified datawill be automatically processed. According to a feature of theinvention, each request sent from any source to the process server 212is expressed in a public communication protocol, which in the disclosedembodiments is the XML protocol. The manner in which the process server212 handles the requests in the queue 296 will be discussed later.

The processor 277 of the process server 212 executes an operating system301 which, in the disclosed embodiments, is one of the versions of theoperating system available under the tradename WINDOWS. Running on theoperating system 301 are three watchdog programs 306–308, which eachserve as an interface to a respective one of the imaging servers221–223, and which each have the additional responsibility of monitoringoperation of the associated imaging server 221–223, as discussed in moredetail later.

Also running on the operating system 301 is a load balancing moduleprogram 309, which monitors the workloads and efficiency of each of theimaging servers 221–223. The load balancing module 309 allocatesexecution of project definitions among the servers 221–223 on the basisof their workloads and efficiency, in a manner described below. The loadbalancing module 309 is interfaced to the intranet 206 by a networkinterface program 312, by an email program 313, and by a Web siteprogram 314. It will be recognized that the functions of the programs312–314 are interrelated, in that they each implement capability tocommunicate through the intranet 206. Thus, they could conceivably beimplemented as respective portions of a single program. However, theyare shown separately in FIG. 9 for purposes of clarity in presenting thepresent invention.

The Web site program 314 implements one or more Internet Web sites,which can be accessed through the intranet 206 and/or Internet 208, forexample by a network browser program running on either of theworkstations 211 or 226. The purpose of the Web site program 314 isdiscussed in more detail later. The email program 313 provides the loadbalancing module 309 with the capability to send and receive emails. Forexample, if one of the imaging servers 221–223 is executing a projectdefinition which includes a Send Email module (TABLE 3), that imagingserver will send appropriate information from this module across theintranet 206 and through the associated watchdog 306–308 to the loadbalancing module 309, which will then cause the email program 313 totransmit the email. It will be recognized that this email capabilitycould alternatively be provided directly in each of the imaging servermodules 247, so that imaging servers 221–223 can directly send suchemails. The network interface program 312 is used to facilitate othertypes of communication through the intranet 206 and/or Internet 208 bythe process server 212 with respect to other systems on the network,such as one of the workstations 211 and 226.

Certain aspects of the operation of the process server 212 will now bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 10–12, each of which is a flowchart.More specifically, FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing what happens when theprocess server 212 receives a request, for example through one of thenetwork interface program 312, email program 313 and Web site 314.Receipt of the request at 351 causes control to proceed to block 352,where the request is put into the queue 296. Control then returns towhatever was in progress at the time the request was received.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a portion of the operation of the loadbalancing module 309, and in particular deals with how taskscorresponding to the requests in the queue 296 are allocated among theimaging servers 221–223. At block 361, the processor 277 checks to seewhether the queue 296 is empty. If it is empty, then the processor waitsat block 361 until there is at least one request in the queue. Ofcourse, the activity depicted in FIG. 11 will typically be carried outon a time sliced basis, such that the processor 277 will besimultaneously executing other routines in parallel with the loop shownin FIG. 11, including the routine shown in FIG. 10.

When it is determined at block 261 that the queue 296 includes at leastone request, then control proceeds from block 361 to block 362. In block362, the processor 277 retrieves from the queue 296 the request whichhas been in the queue the longest. Then, at block 363, the loadbalancing module 309 in the processor 277 interacts with the imagingservers 221–223 through the watchdogs 306–308 and the intranet 206, inorder to determine the extent to which each has available capacity foradditional work. If none of them has any significant amount of availablecapacity, then at block 366 control is returned to block 363, in orderto continue to evaluate availability of the processors in the imagingservers, until it is determined at block 366 that at least one of theimaging servers 221–223 has some available processing capability.

Control then proceeds from block 366 to block 367, where the loadbalancing module 309 evaluates the project definition 286 associatedwith the request which was retrieved from the queue at block 362. Thisevaluation may include inspection not only of the project definitionitself, but also some of the data which is slated to be processed bythat project definition. The evaluated characteristics may include thecomplexity of the project definition, and also the type and amount ofdata which that project definition is slated to process. For example, inthe case of image data, the amount of image data depends on both thenumber of images and also the size of the images.

Control then proceeds to block 368, where the evaluations made in block363 and 367 are used to determine whether it is possible to launchexecution the project definition which is identified by the requestdrawn from the queue at 362. In this regard, there are several differentways in which a given project definition can be launched. First, if oneof the imaging servers 221–223 has a level of availability which willpermit it to take on execution of the project definition in question,execution of the project definition can be launched on that imagingserver alone. However, if the project definition itself is relativelycomplex, and/or if there is a relatively large amount of data which itmust process, two or more instances of the project definition may belaunched, each configured to process a respective mutually exclusiveportion of the specified data. A decision needs to be made as to whetherto launch them on the same processor or on different processors.

In more detail, where it appears that two or more instances of the sameproject definition should be launched, the load balancing server mustalso factor in the available capacity of the imaging servers 221–223.Assuming that there is a satisfactory level of capacity in the imagingservers, each instance of the given project definition will typically belaunched on a respective different one of the imaging servers 221–223.However, where one of the imaging servers 221–223 has significantcapacity, it is possible that two or more instances of the same projectdefinition could be launched on the same processor, if it appeared thatthe project definition and associated data were such that both instancescould be efficiently processed at the same time. In this regard, and asnoted above, there will be points in time when the execution of aproject definition is temporarily idle, for example because it iswaiting for data to arrive through a network, or because it includes anInteractive module (TABLE 2) and is waiting for a user response. Whenone instance of the project definition is idle, the other instance(s)can be active, as a result of which it is possible for a singleprocessor to more quickly execute two instances of the same projectdefinition handling respective portion of the data than to execute asingle instance handling all the data.

If it is determined at block 368 that there is an appropriate way tolaunch the project definition in question, control proceeds from block368 to block 371, where the project definition is launched in the formof one or more instances on one or more imaging servers. Each suchinstance is launched by having the load balancing module 309 configure atask of the type shown at 251 or 252 (FIG. 9), including the projectdefinition at 256, and including at 257 any executables that correspondto any custom definitions which are used in that project definition.Control then proceeds from block 371 to block 372, where the loadbalancing module 309 provides to one or more of the watchdogs 306–308,as appropriate, information regarding the instance(s) of the projectdefinition which have just been launched, and which the watchdog(s) willneed to monitor. In this regard, the watchdogs 306–308 will already berunning, but are initialized with information specific to the newproject definition, so that each watchdog monitoring an imaging serverthat is executing an instance of the project definition will be fullyaware of all project definitions that are being executed by that imagingserver. From block 372, control returns to block 361, to handle the nextsuccessive request in the queue.

As evident from the foregoing discussion, the embodiment of FIG. 9 hasthe imaging server modules 247 located in respective processors 241which are each separate from the processor 277 that executes the loadbalancing module 309. Alternatively, however, it would be possible forthe system 201 to include an additional imaging server module 247 whichis executed by the processor 277. In other words, the processor 277would simultaneously execute both the load balancing module 309 and animaging server module 247.

In order to understand the watchdog programs 306–308, it is helpful tofirst understand certain characteristics of the imaging server module247 in each of the imaging servers 221–223. Many computer programs aredeveloped for situations in which the execution of the program isterminated at the end of each workday, and is then re-started at thebeginning of the next workday. Minor problems may sometimes slowlydevelop as such a program is executed, but then disappear when executionis terminated and restarted. This type of problem is typically due to aminor error which is not noticeable when the program is restartedfrequently, for example on a daily basis, and which has thus notpreviously been identified and fixed. However, if the same program isshifted to a different operational situation where it is run for longperiods of time, such as weeks or months, then these errors can createserious problems.

For example, when the application program is done with a segment ofmemory and attempts to turn it back over to the operating system, thehandoff back to the operating system may not be fully completed, suchthat each program thinks the other currently has control of the memorysegment. This is one example of what is commonly known as memoryleakage. It does not affect proper operation of either program, but doesresult in a progressively decreasing quantity of memory that isavailable for active use by executing programs. Where the system ispowered down and re-started on a daily basis, the “lost” memory isrecovered during the rebooting process, and may never become largeenough during the course of a single day to noticeably affect theefficiency of the system. However, if the same system is runcontinuously for many months, the amount of lost memory could slowly andprogressively increase over the course of several weeks to the pointwhere the system was running very inefficiently, because it was beingchoked by a lack of sufficient memory.

Another type of problem which can occur is that, on rare occasion,something may take place that can cause the application program to lockup and/or cause the operating system to experience a “crash”. Stillanother type of problem involves a situation where there is adegradation in performance characteristics or activity response of theimaging server, for example where a project definition is executing andthere is a progressive increase in the average amount of time needed toprocess successive images. The average time for the project definitionto process an image might, for example, initially be one second perimage but slowly degrade to ten seconds per image. Writing a programwhich can run for months at a time while reliably avoiding these typesof problems can be very time consuming and extremely expensive.

In the disclosed embodiments, the imaging server modules 247 areexpected to run continuously for many months at a time. In order to dealeffectively and efficiently with potential problems of the type justdiscussed, the disclosed embodiments provide the watchdog programs306–308 with the capability to monitor the imaging server modules 247for various problems, such as a memory leakage problem similar to thatdiscussed above. Each of the watchdog programs 306–308 has thecapability to respond to detection of such a problem by automaticallytaking appropriate remedial action, as discussed below. The watchdogprograms 306–308 are somewhat simpler than the imaging server modules247, and it is much less expensive to write the watchdogs to meet adesired level of dependability and accuracy than to do so with theimaging server modules 247.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a portion of the operations carried outby each of the watchdog programs 306–308. In more detail, each watchdogprogram checks at 382 to determine whether the associated imaging serverhas entered some abnormal state of execution, for example where itsimaging server module 247 has locked up or its operating system 246 hascrashed. This type of condition is to be distinguished from situationssuch as inefficient use of memory, where the imaging server continuesoperating properly, but progressively more slowly. If it is determinedthat execution is abnormal, then control proceeds from block 382 toblock 383, where the watchdog program begins queuing incominginformation. This is a queue within the associated watchdog program306–308, which is separate from the queue 296. This internal queueensures that incoming information for the problematic imaging server isnot inadvertently lost while remedial action is being taken, which inthis case will involve restarting the imaging server. Next, at block386, execution of the imaging server module 247 and/or operating system246 is terminated. Thereafter, at block 387, each project definitionwhich is under execution but which has not been fully completed isevaluated, including identification of the last item of data which wasprocessed to completion and saved through a destination module.

Thereafter, at block 388, programs within the imaging server are eachrestarted, including the operating system 246 and the imaging servermodule 247. Further, the task 251 or 252 for each project definition isreconfigured to the extent necessary to ensure that execution of theproject definition will continue with the first data item after the onethat was identified in block 387. Then, after the imaging server and itsimaging server module 247 are up and running again, the queued inputinformation is supplied at block 391 to the imaging server module 247.Control then returns from block 391 to block 381.

Returning to block 382, if the result of the determination here is thatthe monitored imaging server has not entered an abnormal state ofexecution, then control proceeds from block 382 to block 401, where thewatchdog program evaluates the efficiency of memory use by the imagingserver that it monitors. If it determines that the efficiency of memoryuse is within acceptable bounds, then at block 402 control is routedback to block 381. Otherwise, control proceeds from block 402 to block403, where the watchdog program determines whether it can wait fornormal completion of the project definitions which are currently beingexecuted by the monitored imaging server. If so, then the watchdog waitsat 406 for execution of all such project definitions to end. Otherwise,or in due course, control will proceed from block 403 to block 407,where the watch dog program will initiate queuing of incominginformation. If the imaging server was allowed to complete execution ofall assigned project definitions at block 403, then there will typicallybe little or no incoming information to be queued. On the other hand, ifit was necessary to take action prior to completion of a projectdefinition, then there may be incoming information which needs to bequeued.

Next, at block 407, the watchdog program interrupts execution of anyproject definitions that have not been completed. Then, at 411, thewatchdog cooperates with the associated imaging server 221–223, in amanner which effects a reorganization of memory use. (If the memory usehas become extremely inefficient, then it may be appropriate to restartthe imaging server in a manner similar to that discussed above inassociation with blocks 383, 386–388 and 391, but this option is notexpressly illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 12). After memory use hasbeen reorganized in block 411, the imaging server is instructed by thewatchdog at block 412 to continue execution of interrupted projectdefinitions from where each was interrupted. Then, at block 413, thequeued input information is supplied to the imaging server. Control thenreturns to block 381.

Although the disclosed embodiments provide the watchdogs 306–308 withthe capability to queue incoming information, for example as discussedabove in association with blocks 383, 391, 407 and 413 of FIG. 12, analternative approach could be used. In particular, if incominginformation could not be immediately delivered to the appropriateimaging server 221–223, then the associated watchdog could return thatinformation to its source, along with a message indicating that theimaging server was currently busy or unavailable.

Returning to FIG. 9, and as mentioned above, the Web server 207interfaces the intranet 206 to the Internet 208. The Web server 207executes an operating system 441, which in the disclosed embodiments isone of the versions of the operating system available under the tradename WINDOWS. Running on the operating system 441 is a Web interfacemodule program 442, which effects the appropriate interface between theintranet 206 and the Internet 208, in a known manner.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the workstations 211 and 226 areeffectively identical, except for the fact that the workstation 211 is alocal workstation coupled to the intranet 206, whereas the workstation226 is at a remote location and is coupled to the intranet 206 throughthe Internet 208. Although only two workstations 211 and 226 are shownin FIG. 9, it will be recognized that the system 201 of FIG. 9 couldinclude a large number of similar workstations. Since the illustratedworkstations 211 and 226 are equivalent, only the workstation 211 isdescribed below in detail.

The workstation 211 provides the capability for a person to createproject definitions, to upload or “publish” project definitions and/orcustom definitions to the process server 212, to download projectdefinitions and/or custom definitions from the process server 212, andto effect execution of project definitions within the workstation orwithin one of the imaging servers 221–223 under control of the processserver 212. The workstation 211 includes a processor 451 and a memory452. The processor 451 is coupled to a cathode ray tube (CRT) display456, in order to permit the workstation 211 to present information to aperson. A keyboard 457 and a pointing device such as a mouse 458 areeach coupled to the processor 451, to permit a person to provide inputto the workstation 211.

Stored within the memory 452 are a plurality of standard definitions461, including all of the definitions set forth in TABLEs 1–4. Thestandard definitions at 461 include not only the executable object codefor each definition, but also a separate file which contains thecorresponding source code. In the disclosed embodiments, the source codefor each standard definition is expressed in a language known as VISUALBASIC, which was developed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.

As mentioned above, the present invention does not restrict the user tothe standard definitions shown in TABLEs 1–4, but instead gives the userthe capability to create additional definitions called customdefinitions. To the extent that any custom definitions have been createdlocally within the workstation 211, or have been uploaded to theworkstation 211 from the process server 212, they are stored at 462 inthe memory 452. The custom definitions stored at 462 include not onlyobject code files, but also corresponding source code files for customdefinitions that were created locally. One convenient technique forcreating a custom definition is to take source code for one of thestandard definitions 461, modify the source code as appropriate, compilethe modified source code to create a corresponding object code file, andthen store the modified source code file and associated object code fileat 462.

As mentioned above, the workstation 211 can be used to create projectdefinitions, which are then stored at 463 in the memory 452, and canoptionally be uploaded to the process server 212, along with anyassociated custom definitions. Project definitions from the processserver 212 can be downloaded and stored at 463, with any associatedcustom definitions being simultaneously downloaded and stored at 462.Further, the workstation 211 can be used to modify existing projectdefinitions that are stored locally at 463, whether they were createdlocally or downloaded from the process server 212. The manner in whichproject definitions and/or custom definitions and be created and/ormodified are discussed below.

In this regard, the processor 451 executes an operating system 471,which in the disclosed embodiments is one of the versions of theoperating system available under the tradename WINDOWS. A user at theworkstation 211 may optionally use the operating system 471 to run aprogram development environment 472, which in the disclosed embodimentsis a program commercially available under the trade name VISUAL BASICfrom Microsoft Corporation. The development environment 472 is used tocreate custom definitions, typically by retrieving the source code for astandard definition from 461, making desired modifications to thissource code within the development environment, storing the modifiedsource code at 462, compiling the modified source code within thedevelopment environment, and then storing at 462 the object code whichresults from the compilation. The program 472 does not interact with anyother application program within the workstation 211, or with programsin other parts of the system. Thus, in the disclosed embodiments,creation of a custom definition using the program 472 is effectively anoffline procedure.

The workstation 211 also executes a standard email program 473, whichhas the capability to send and receive emails in a known manner. Thus,for example, if a person has used the workstation 211 to initiateexecution of a project definition within one of the imaging servers221–223, and if that project definition includes a Send Email module(TABLE 3), execution of the Send Email module will cause an email to besent to the email program 473 in the workstation 211. This can providethe user of the workstation 211 with appropriate information, such asnotice that execution of a project definition has been completed by oneof the imaging servers 221–223.

A standard network browser program 473 also runs on the operating system471 in the processor 451. A person using the workstation 211 may use thebrowser 476 to link to a Web site provided by the Web site program 314in the process server 212, for example to present a request forexecution of one of the project definitions stored at 286 in the memory278. Further, while that project definition is being executed in one ofthe imaging servers 221–223, the project definition may interact withthe person at workstation 211 through the Web site at 314 and thebrowser 476. Alternatively, through use of the browser program 476, theworkstation 211 may request execution of a project definition which wascreated at the other workstation 226 by another user, and which was thenuploaded to the process server with an indication that it would beaccessible to other users. The browser program 476 and the Web site 314interact with each other using a public communication protocolconforming to standards for the portion of the Internet known as theWorld Wide Web (WWW), such as the XML protocol or the HTTP protocol.

In particular, as one specific example, it was explained above that theInteractive module 146 of FIG. 8 pauses execution of the projectdefinition 101 to request user input. FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view ofan example of a window or dialog box that might be configured as a Webpage in the Web site 314, and displayed on the display 456 of theworkstation 211 through the browser 476. The dialog box 491 includes aportion 492 which displays the image that is currently in theinteractive module of the project definition. It also includes a listbox 493 containing several options. In FIG. 13, the options include“Continue”, which would cause execution to continue along the currentmain process or sub-process, “OnSale”, which is one sub-process to whicha branch can be effected, “OutOfStock”, which is a second sub-process towhich a branch can be effected, and “End”, which will completelyterminate execution of the project definition that contains theInteractive module. Using the keyboard 457 and/or the mouse 458, theuser can select one of the items in the list box 493, and then click an“OK” button 496 in order to cause the selected option to be implemented.Instead of clicking the “OK” button 496, the user could alternativelyclick a “Cancel” button 497, which has the same effect as clicking the“OK” button 496 while the “End” option is selected in list box 493.

Before clicking the “OK” button 496, the user has the option to click a“Don't show me this again” box 498, so as to toggle a check mark on oroff in the box 498. If the check mark is present when the “OK” button isclicked, then the project definition will not pause and display thewindow 491 each time the Interactive module is thereafter encounteredduring the current execution of the project definition. Instead, theoption in list box 493 which is currently selected will thereafter beautomatically used for every subsequent execution of that particularInteractive module.

An author module program 477 and/or another program 478 may also berunning on the operating system 471 in the processor 451. The authormodule 477 is discussed in more detail below, and may be used to create,modify, upload, download, and execute project definitions. The otherapplication program 478 is shown in FIG. 9 to emphasize that some or allfunctions of the author module 477 could alternatively be implemented bysome other application program. For example, the author module has thecapability to create a new project definition, which includes thecapability to express the project definition in an XML format comparableto the example shown in TABLE 5. However, it is possible that some otherapplication program, such as the program 478, could also prepare aproject definition in this XML format. Similarly, the program 478 mighthave the capability to generate and send a request for execution of oneof the project definitions 286 stored in the memory 278, and may havethe capability to express this request in a public communicationprotocol such as XML. The program 478 may communicate with the processserver 212 through the network interface program 312.

Turning now in more detail to the author module 477, FIG. 14 is adiagrammatic view of a typical screen which the author module 477 mightpresent on the display 456 in order to permit a user to create or modifya project definition, or to perform related functions. At the left sideof the screen is a vertical column which includes a projects area 513and a modules area 514. The projects area 513 includes a “design” icon517, a “publish” icon 518, an “execute” icon 521, a “create” icon 522,and a “delete” icon 523. The design icon 517 is used to initiatemodification of a project definition which is already open. The publishicon 518 is used to transfer to the process server 212 a selectedproject definition in an XML format comparable to FIG. 5, along with theobject code for any custom definitions that are used by that projectdefinition.

The execute icon 521 permits the user to initiate execution of aspecified project definition. This may be a project definition storedwithin the memory 278 of process server 212, in which case the authormodule generates and sends to the process server 212 a request forexecution of the project definition. In the disclosed embodiments, therequest is expressed in a public communication protocol, such as the XMLprotocol. If the project definition to be executed is stored locally,the user can control whether that project definition is to be executedlocally within the workstation 211, or sent to the process server 212 sothat it can be executed in one of the imaging servers 221–223. If it isto be sent to the process server, then the author module generates andsends a request in the same basic manner just described, except that theXML definition of the project definition, along with object code for anycustom definitions used by that project definition, are transmitted withthe request.

With respect to local execution of a project definition, the authormodule 477 has essentially the same capabilities as the imaging servers221–223, with one exception. The author module 477 in the disclosedembodiments has been developed with the expectation that it may bedistributed at a reduced price or even free of charge, in order toencourage development of project definitions through use of the authormodule 477. In conjunction with this, the author module 477 in thedisclosed embodiments has been designed so that, during each executionof any project definition, it will process no more than five items ofdata, such as five images. This permits a user to carry out limitedexecution for the purpose of testing a new project definition, but doesnot permit the user to process a large quantity of data. In order toprocess a large quantity of data, the user is expected to instruct theprocess server 212 to have an imaging server 221–223 carry out theexecution of the project definition, for which the user will be chargeda fee by the process server 212.

The author module 477 could alternatively be configured to have fullcapability in all respects to execute project definitions, including thecapability to process any number of items of data. However, such aversion of the author module would likely be sold for a much higherprice, which could involve significantly greater overall expense forsome infrequent users.

In FIG. 14, the create icon 522 is used to initiate creation of a newproject definition. This includes creation of a new XML file of the typeshown in TABLE 5, which will be progressively expanded as the projectdefinition is created. The delete icon 523 permits a user to delete aselected project definition which is stored locally at 463. It does notpermit the user to delete a project definition which is stored in theprocess server 212.

The modules area 514 of the screen 501 includes a “sources” icon 526, a“branches” 527, an “actions” icon 528 and a “destination” icon 529. Itwill be noted that these four icons each correspond to a respective oneof the types of modules that were discussed above in association withFIG. 1. The purpose and operation of the icons 526–529 will be discussedlater.

To the right of the column containing areas 513 and 514 is a furthercolumn 536, which contains a list, in a standard tree format 537, ofavailable source, branch, action and destination definitions. In thisregard, the tree 537 includes nodes 541–544 adjacent each category ofdefinitions. Each node 541–544 can be clicked to expand or contract theamount of information shown for that category. For example, in FIG. 14the “sources” category is expanded, and lists various specific sourcedefinitions which are available for use in creating a projectdefinition. In contrast, the “actions” category is contracted, and showsa subheading but does not specifically list each of the actiondefinitions which are available.

The previously-mentioned icons 526–529 in the area 514 of the screen 501can be used to expedite the expansion and contraction process. Forexample, if the sources icon 526 is clicked, the sources category of thetree 537 will be expanded, while each of the other three categories willbe simultaneously contracted. Similarly, if the branches icon 527 isclicked, the branches category in the tree 537 will be expanded, whereasthe sources, actions and destination categories will all be contracted.The actions icon 528 and the destinations icon 529 each operate in acomparable manner.

In the center right portion of the screen 501 is a process view area561, where one process of a project definition can be displayed. For thesake of example, the process view area 561 of FIG. 14 is presenting theproject definition 101 that was discussed above in association with FIG.8. If a process was so big that the entire process could not beconveniently shown all at once in the process view area 561, a portioncould be shown, and standard scroll bars could be provided along thebottom and right sides of the area 561, so that the user could scroll toother portions of the process. The process view area 561 in FIG. 14includes broken lines defining several horizontal strips thatrespectively contain the global portion 107, the main process 102, thesub-process 103 and the sub-process 104. Although broken lines are usedin FIG. 14, the horizontal strips could alternatively be delimited bylight solid lines and/or lines of a selected color, or could beidentified by the use of a different background color for each strip.

In order to add a module to a process shown in the process view area562, a user can use a pointing device such as the mouse 458 to selectthe desired type of module in the tree 537. Then, the user can use themouse to indicate where to put the module in the process, for example byclicking at the location where the new module is to be inserted. Bindingof the new module to other modules can then be effected in a mannerdescribed later.

As discussed above, the main process 102 and the sub-processes 103 and104 collectively define a single overall process. The title of theoverall process appears in the global process portion 107, and in thiscase is a default title of “Untitled(0)”, because the process has notyet been given a specific name. Within this process, the main process102 and sub-processes 103 and 104 may each be given a unique name, andthese names are displayed at the left side of the project view area 561.In the depicted example, default titles are shown, which are“Untitled(0)”, “Sub(1)” and “Sub(2)”.

In the lower right portion of the screen 501 is a binding view area 571.A user is permitted to select one of the modules shown in the processview area 561. That selected module will then be displayed in thebinding view area 571, along with each module to which it is bound, withall of the binding lines which extend between the illustrated modules.All other modules and binding lines will be omitted. In the specificexample shown in FIG. 14, the user selected the File Namer module 156 inthe process view area 561. Consequently, the File Namer module 156appears in the binding view area 571, along with each of the bindinglines 137, 152 and 157 relating to it, as well as each of the othermodules 136, 151 and 161 that are associated with those binding lines.All other modules and binding lines are omitted from the binding viewarea 571.

The author module 477 provides the user with the capability toselectively display the project definition 101 in different forms withinthe process view area 561. One such alternative form is shown in FIG.15, where it will be noted that only the main process 102 is shown incomplete detail. Each of the sub-processes 103 and 104 is represented byonly a single block. In the case of a relatively complex process, thispermits a portion of interest to be more easily viewed.

Another capability of the author module 477 is to permit a user tocreate and modify binding definitions in a graphical manner, for examplethrough use of a pointing device such as the mouse 458 (FIG. 9). In thisregard, FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a process as itmight appear in the binding view area 571 of the screen 501 of FIG. 14.This example includes an Image Info module 581, and a Text Stampermodule 582. In order to create two bindings between these two modules, auser has brought up for each module a display of a respective bindingmenu 586 or 587. The binding menu 586 lists each of the output ports ofthe Image Info module 581, and the user has invoked its display by usingthe pointing device to place the cursor over the right portion of themodule 581, and by then right-clicking. The binding menu 587 lists theinput ports of the text stamper module 582, and its display has beeninvoked by using the pointing device to place the cursor over the leftportion of the module 582, and by then right clicking.

Two binding lines 591 and 592 each extend between a respective entry inthe menu 586 and a respective entry in the menu 587. The binding line591 corresponds to image data, and links the “ImageOut” output port ofthe Image Info module 581 to the “ImageIn” input port of the TextStamper module 582. Similarly, the binding line 592 links the“ImageName” output port of module 581 to the “TextIn” input port of themodule 582. Each of these binding line was created by clicking on anoutput port in one menu and then clicking on an input port in the othermenu, or by clicking on an input port and then an output port. One endof a binding line may be changed from one output port to another outputport by clicking and dragging that end of the binding line from itscurrent output port to the new output port, which may be in the samemenu or in a different menu. A binding line can be deleted by clickingand dragging one end to a point spaced from any of the binding menus.

It will be recognized that, in general, a given module cannot executeproperly if an input port of that module has been bound to an outputport of another module which does not have valid data at a time when thegiven module needs to be executed. For example, it would not beappropriate for the first module in a sub-process to have an input portwhich is bound to an output port of another module that is disposedlater in the same sub-process. Consequently, the author module 477 willreject such an invalid binding if a user attempts to create one in aproject definition, and will display for the user a suitable explanatorymessage as to why the binding cannot be accepted.

As discussed above, the development environment program 472 isessentially used in an off-line manner with respect to other programsshown in FIG. 9, in that it is executed separately and independently anddoes not interact with any of the other programs. Alternatively,however, the program 472 could be omitted in favor of a different formof development environment program that could be integrated into theauthor module 477, where its functionality would always be readilyavailable while the author module was executing, without any need toseparately start it. One suitable example of such a developmentenvironment program is a program that is commercially available fromMicrosoft Corporation under the trade name VISUAL BASIC FORAPPLICATIONS.

As discussed above in association with the binding line 128 of FIG. 8,the present invention contemplates conditional binding lines, which canassociate a given input port with a selected one of two or more outputports, based on a specified condition. Moreover, as also discussedabove, the condition is effectively associated with the binding line,rather than with any of the specific modules that have input and outputports associated by the binding line. In order to define or change thecondition associated with a conditional binding, a dialog box ispresented to the user, for example by superimposing it on a portion ofthe screen 501 of FIG. 14. An example of such a dialog box is shown at601 in FIG. 17. One way to invoke the display of the dialog box 601 isto right click on a conditional binding line in the binding view area571 of the screen 501.

In FIG. 17, the dialog box 601 relates to a conditional binding whichassociates an input port with one of two different output ports. Thedialog box 601 includes two areas 606 and 607, which each identify arespective one of these two output ports. If this conditional bindinghad the capability to associate the input port with more than two outputports, then the dialog box 601 would include for each such output port arespective area similar to the areas 606 and 607. The areas 606 and 607each identify the associated output port by setting forth the name ofthe process in which that output port is disposed, the name of asub-process if the output port is not in the main process, the name of aparticular module within that process, including its instance number (asdiscussed above in association with TABLE 5), and the word “Output” toindicate that the port in question is an output port. Finally, each areaidentifies any name associated with the particular output port. In thecase of area 106, this name is “MSRP”, which stands for Manufacturer'sSuggested Retail Price, because the data in question is a representationof a price. In the case of area 607, this name is “Price”, and indicatesthat the data at the indicated output port represents a price. Forconvenience, the dialog box 601 gives each of these two output ports ashorthand label. In the illustrated example, these shorthand labels are“B1” and “B2”, and appear immediately to the left of the areas 606 and607.

In the lower portion of the dialog box 601 are three areas 611–613 whichare used to set the actual condition. In particular, area 611 is used toenter an equation which can include a combination of Boolean andalgebraic terms. Area 612 is used to specify which output port will beassociated with the input port if the condition specified in area 611 istrue. Area 613 specifies which output port will be coupled to the inputport if the condition specified in area 611 is false.

The dialog box 601 also includes an “OK” button 617, which can beclicked to close the dialog box 601 and set the conditional binding tooperate according to the information which is currently set forth in thedialog box. In addition, there is a “Cancel” button 618, which can beclicked to close the dialog box 601 without making any change to thepre-existing state of the conditional binding.

As discussed above, the example of an XML project definition set forthin TABLE 5 includes at lines 44–108 a Text Stamper module, of whichlines 46–99 define a number of parameters that control variouscharacteristics of the text which is superimposed onto an image by theText Stamper module. These parameters are specified by a user who iscreating a project definition, at the time that the Text Stamper moduleis added to the project definition. The user also has the capability tosubsequently adjust these parameters. In order to set or adjust theseparameters, the user is presented with a dialog box, an example of whichis shown at 651 in FIG. 18. The dialog box 651 will be automaticallypresented when the Text Stamper module is initially being added to theproject definition. Thereafter, if a user wishes to modify the settings,the user can invoke the display of the dialog box 651, for example byusing a pointing device to right-click on the center of the module. Whenopened, the dialog box 651 may, for example, be superimposed over aportion of the screen 501 shown in FIG. 14. The information shown in thedialog box of FIG. 18 corresponds directly to the parametric controlinformation set forth at lines 46–99 in TABLE 5, as discussed below.

In this regard, the user has two ways in which to obtain the text whichis to be stamped on the image. First, the text can be defined internallyto the Text Stamper module as a literal string, in which case the textdoes not change during execution of the project definition.Alternatively, the text can be obtained from an output port of anothermodule, in which case it is possible for the text to change duringexecution of the project definition, such that each processed image hasdifferent text superimposed on it. The selection of one of theseapproaches is controlled by the setting of a “Bind to” box 653 disposedwithin the dialog box 651. If there is no check mark in the box 653,then the text string is configured as an internal literal string, whichis specified in a box 654. In the example of FIG. 18, however, there isa check mark in the box 653, as a result of which the box 654 iseffectively ignored. The box 654 simply includes a grayed-out string“Bound to Price”, which is an indication to the user that the text isbeing obtained externally from an output port named “Price”.

Since there is a check mark in the box 653, the text string to besuperimposed on the image is to be obtained from an output port ofanother module. Therefore, available output ports are listed in a box657, and the user highlights one of them in order to select it. In theillustrated example, the “Price” output of another module has beenhighlighted in order to select it. In the XML definition of TABLE 5,lines 61–63 define a “Bound” parameter which indicates whether the box653 contains a checkmark, and lines 73–75 indicate the particular outputport which the user has selected in box 657. Since the text box 654 isnot used in the illustrated example, the XML definition in TABLE 5 doesnot include an entry corresponding to box 654, but it would include suchan entry if there was no checkmark in box 653. Alternatively, the XMLdefinition in TABLE 5 could include such an entry for box 654, eventhough there is a checkmark in box 653.

In addition to defining what text to use, the dialog box 651 permitscertain characteristics of the appearance of the text to be controlled.In this regard, box 661 permits selection of a font, and corresponds tolines 91–93 in TABLE 5. Button 662 specifies whether or not the text isto be in a bold font and corresponds to lines 52–54 in TABLE 5. Button663 indicates whether the font is to be presented in regular or italicsstyle, and corresponds to lines 97–99 of TABLE 5. Button 666 controlswhether or not the text is to be underlined, and corresponds to lines70–72 in TABLE 5. The color of the text can be selected using button667, which calls up a not-illustrated dialog box that offers a choice ofcolors. After selection of a color, that color is displayed on the faceof button 667. Button 667 corresponds to lines 79–81 of TABLE 5. Thesize of the font can be selected at 668, which corresponds to lines58–60 of TABLE 5.

A merge mode can be selected at 671, which corresponds to lines 67–69 inTABLE 5. This permits control over the combination or mixture of colorsin an image, using additive or subtractive color theory. In this regard,an image can be selectively changed according to hue, saturation orlightness, and modifications can be made to the red, green or bluechannel of an image. The manner in which the superimposed text isassociated with the image, or in other words a merge mode, is selectedat 671, which corresponds to lines 67–69 in TABLE 5. The degree oftransparency of the superimposed text can be adjusted on a scale from 0to 100 using a simulated slide control 672 that can be dragged by amouse, where a numeric value for the current setting is displayed at673. A value of 0 means that the text is opaque, whereas a value of 100means that the text is completely invisible. Lines 55–57 of TABLE 5correspond to the transparency setting.

The dialog box 651 also provides the capability to control thepositional relationship between the superimposed text and the image. Inthis regard, the text can be placed at a selected angle with respect tothe image by entering an appropriate value in degrees in box 676,ranging from 0 to 360. Box 676 corresponds to lines 88–90 in TABLE 5.The user can select one of two different ways to specify the position ofthe text relative to the image, by checking one of two boxes 677 and678. Only one of these boxes can be checked, and placing a check mark inone removes the check mark from the other. Lines 94–96 of TABLE 5contain a value indicating which of the boxes 677 and 678 has beenchecked.

If the box 677 is checked, then the position of the text is defined on aprecise basis using a Cartesian coordinate system, based on a count ofpixels within the image. The “X” position value is specified in a box681, and the “Y” value is specified in a box 682. The boxes 681 and 682respectively correspond to lines 49–51 and lines 85–87 in TABLE 5.Alternatively, if the box 678 is checked, then the user can set theposition more rapidly but less accurately, in particular by selectingone of nine “radio” buttons disposed within a box 683. In the example ofFIG. 18, the center radio button has been selected, to indicate that thetext is to be centered in both the X and Y directions within the image.The box 683 corresponds to lines 82–84 in TABLE 5.

If text reaches the border of the image, the user has the option ofdeciding whether to place text outside the image. This is controlled bywhether or not the user places a check mark in a box 686. The box 686corresponds to lines 64–66 of TABLE 5. A further option is that, if thetext is too large in relation to the image, the user has the option ofindicating whether the size of the image should be expanded. This iscontrolled by whether or not the user places a check mark in a box 687,which corresponds to lines 76–78 in TABLE 5. If box 687 is checked, andif the image is therefore expanded, the expansion will occur through theaddition of pixels at one or more edges of the image. The color forthese additional pixels needs to be defined, and this is controlled by abutton 688. Like the button 667, the button 688 calls up a furtherdialog box which permits the selection of a color. Once a color has beenselected, the face of the button 688 is thereafter displayed in thatcolor. Button 688 corresponds to lines 46–48 of TABLE 5.

It is frequently helpful to a user to be able to see a sample of how thetext might appear on an image, based on the current settings of thevarious parameters that can be set using dialog box 651 in the mannerdescribed above. Accordingly, the user can click a preview button 691,which causes a display at 692 of a sample image with sample textsuperimposed on it in a manner conforming to the current parametersettings in box 651. In the example of FIG. 18, the sample image is acamera, and the sample text is “$150”. The preview image in box 692 isnot actual data or actual text which would be used during execution ofthe project definition, because the project definition is not currentlybeing executed.

When the user is satisfied with all of the settings in dialog box 651,the user can click an “OK” button 696, which causes the currentinformation in the dialog box 651 to be converted into XML form andsaved within the associated project definition. Alternatively, the usercan click a “Cancel” button 697, causing all of the information in thedialog box 651 to be discarded without any change to the XML definitionof the project definition. Clicking either of the buttons 696 or 697causes the dialog box 651 to be closed.

The present invention provides a number of technical advantages. Onesuch technical advantage involves the capability to prepare on onemachine a definition which will control the automated processing ofmultiple items of data, and which can be readily transmitted to a remotelocation for execution by an entirely different machine. A relatedadvantage is that a sophisticated data processing engine can be providedat one location on a network, and a graphic artist at a differentnetwork location can prepare a definition which controls how the enginewill process data, while another person at still a further networklocation can initiate execution of the definition, while specifying adata source and a data destination that are remote from the engine andfrom each other.

Although selected embodiments have been illustrated and described indetail, it will be understood that various substitutions and alterationsare possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention, as defined by the following claims.

1. A method, comprising the steps of: providing a set of predeterminedfunction definitions, at least one of said predetermined functiondefinitions defining a function for manipulating image data; preparing aproject definition, said project definition operable when executed toprocess said image data and including: a plurality of function portionswhich each correspond to one of said function definitions in said set,and which each define at least one input port and at least one outputport that are functionally related according to the correspondingfunction definition; a further portion which includes a source portionidentifying a data source and defining an output port through which saidimage data from the data source can be produced, and which includes adestination portion identifying a data destination and defining an inputport through which said image data can be supplied to the datadestination; and binding information which includes binding portionsthat each associate a respective said input port with one of said outputports; and transmitting through a communications link from a first endthereof to a second end thereof a communication from a user which causesone of storing and execution of the project definition at said secondend of the communications link; wherein said execution of the projectdefinition operates at least in part to manipulate said image dataaccording to said one predetermined function definition.
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein said preparing step is carried out at saidfirst end of said communications link, and wherein said transmittingstep includes the step of including said project definition within saidcommunication transmitted through said communications link.
 3. A methodaccording to claim 1, including the step of configuring saidcommunications link to include a network.
 4. A method according to claim3, including the step of configuring said network to include a portionof the Internet.
 5. A method according to claim 1, including the step ofselecting said first and second ends of said communications link to bephysically remote locations.
 6. A method according to claim 1, includingthe step of responding to said communication from said first end of saidcommunications link by storing said project definition, and includingthe step of subsequently executing said project definition in responseto receipt of a further communication through a communications link. 7.A method according to claim 6, including the steps of configuring saidcommunications link through which said further communication is receivedto include a network; and using a network browser program to generatesaid further communication.
 8. A method according to claim 6, includingthe step of causing said communication which effects storing and saidcommunication which initiates execution to be sent by respectivedifferent users.
 9. A method according to claim 8, including the step ofcausing said communication which effects storing and said communicationwhich initiates execution to be sent through respective differentcommunications links.
 10. A method according to claim 6, including thestep of causing said communication which effects storing and saidcommunication which initiates execution to be sent through the samecommunications link.
 11. A computer-readable medium encoded with acomputer program which recognizes a set of predetermined functiondefinitions, at least one of said predetermined function definitionsdefining a function for manipulating image data, said program beingoperable when executed to facilitate: preparation of a projectdefinition, said project definition operable when executed to processsaid image data and including: a plurality of function portions whicheach correspond to one of said function definitions in said set, andwhich each define at least one input port and at least one output portthat are functionally related according to the corresponding functiondefinition; a further portion which includes a source portionidentifying a data source and defining an output port through which saidimage data from the data source can be produced, and which includes adestination portion identifying a data destination and defining an inputport through which said image data can be supplied to the datadestination; and binding information which includes binding portionsthat each associate a respective said input port with one of said outputports; and transmission of a communication through a communications linkfrom a first end thereof to a second end thereof, said communicationcausing one of storing and execution of the project definition at saidsecond end of the communications link; wherein said execution of theproject definition operates at least in part to manipulate said imagedata according to said one predetermined function definition.
 12. Acomputer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein said program isoperable when executed to facilitate said preparation of said projectdefinition at said first end of said communications link, and tofacilitate inclusion of said project definition within saidcommunication transmitted through said communications link.
 13. Acomputer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein said program isoperable when executed to use a network as a portion of saidcommunications link.
 14. A computer-readable medium according to claim13, wherein said program is operable when executed to use part of theInternet as a portion of said network.
 15. A computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 11, wherein said program is operable when executed tofacilitate said transmission of said communication when said first andsecond ends of said communications link are at physically remotelocations.
 16. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, whereinsaid program is operable when executed to facilitate said transmissionof said communication in a manner which effects storing said projectdefinition, said project definition being subsequently executed inresponse to a further communication sent through a communications link.17. A computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein saidprogram is operable when executed to use a network as a portion of saidcommunications link, and to facilitate use of a network browser programto generate said further communication.
 18. A computer-readable mediumaccording to claim 16, wherein said program is operable when executed topermit said communication which effects storing and said communicationwhich initiates execution to be sent by respective different users. 19.A computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein said programis operable when executed to permit said communication which effectsstoring and said communication which initiates execution to be sentthrough respective different communications links.
 20. Acomputer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein said program isoperable when executed to permit said communication which effectsstoring and said communication which initiates execution to be sentthrough the same communications link.
 21. A method, comprising the stepsof: providing a set of predetermined function definitions, at least oneof said predetermined function definitions defining a function formanipulating image data; preparing a project definition, said projectdefinition operable when executed to process said image data andincluding: a plurality of function portions which each correspond to oneof said function definitions in said set, and which each define at leastone input port and at least one output port that are functionallyrelated according to the corresponding function definition; a furtherportion which includes a source portion identifying a data source anddefining an output port through which said image data from the datasource can be produced, and which includes a destination portionidentifying a data destination and defining an input port through whichsaid image data can be supplied to the data destination; and bindinginformation which includes binding portions that each associate arespective said input port with one of said output ports; andtransmitting through a communications link from a first end thereof to asecond end thereof a communication from a user which causes one ofstoring and execution of the project definition at said second end ofthe communications link; wherein said preparing step is carried out atsaid first end of said communications link, and wherein saidtransmitting step includes the step of including said project definitionwithin said communication transmitted through said communications link;wherein said execution of the project definition operates at least inpart to manipulate said image data according to said one predeterminedfunction definition.